Tympanic membrane perforations and tympanostomy tubes.
Tympanoplasty and tympanostomy tubes were developed at the same time and have dramatically changed the treatment of chronic middle ear disease. One hundred forty-nine children who had tubes inserted between ages 6 months and 8 years for chronic otitis media with effusion have been prospectively followed up for an average of 4 years. Fourteen percent developed tympanic membrane perforations. No preoperative factor completely predicted the development of perforation. A majority of the perforations closed spontaneously. Three ears had noncontiguous observations of perforations during follow-up. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to tympanoplasty.
Levine
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S
Otitis Media Research Center, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis.
Daly
K
K
Giebink
G S
GS
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery