title: Validity of tympanometry in the diagnosis of middle ear effusion.
abstract: A group of 266 children (515 ears), ranging in age from 5 months to 11 years, was studied. These children were candidates for the insertion of ventilation tubes, or adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy with myringotomy. Before surgery, tympanometry was performed. The surgical and tympanometric findings were compared afterwards. Two different tympanometers were used (GSI-27A and TYMP-85TT). This study showed a comparable validity of these two tympanometers. The sensitivity and specificity of tympanometry in the age group of 5 months to 2 years did not show a significant difference from that in the age group of 2-12 years. Otoscopy has limited value for the diagnosis of middle ear effusion in this age group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorinolaryngology, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sassen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Aarem
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Grote
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests / Q000295:instrumentation; D000233:Adenoidectomy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014068:Tonsillectomy