title: A 15 year follow-up of a controlled trial of the use of grommets in glue ear.
abstract: The long-term natural history of secretory otitis media and the changes induced in the middle ear following grommet insertion are of importance. We report the results 15 years following the unilateral insertion of a Shepard grommet and adenoidectomy for bilateral secretory otitis media. The results suggest that grommets do not protect against attic disease of late onset and induce atrophic scars which do not resolve. Grommets confer no long-term advantages to the hearing when used in the management of childhood secretory otitis media.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lesser
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Richards
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000209:etiology; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012598:Sclerosis; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology