Quantitation and prevalence of tympanosclerosis in a pediatric otolaryngology clinic.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence and prevalence of tympanosclerosis (TS) in patients seen in a pediatric otolaryngology clinic.


METHODS
Prospective observational study.


METHODS
Tertiary care, ambulatory care clinic.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective observational study to determine the incidence of TS in 218 patients seen consecutively in a pediatric otolaryngology clinic for otologic and nonotologic reasons. The patient age range was 3 weeks to 30 years; 63% were male and 37% female. Of the 218 patients, 37% (81) had undergone bilateral myringotomy and tube placement (BM&T), and 35% (21) of the 81 showed signs of TS; 63% (137) of the 218 patients had no history of otologic surgery, but 12% (15) of the 137 showed signs of TS.


METHODS
The area of the tympanic membrane affected by TS was determined by otoscopy performed by one viewer, who drew the otoscopic findings on a standardized tympanic membrane template. The area of TS was quantified in terms of percentages by digital image analysis of the scaled drawings.


RESULTS
There was a range of 0.5-59.9% involvement of the tympanic membrane with TS, with the median percentage of involvement being 4.95%. There was an increased percentage of TS with repeat BM&T.


CONCLUSIONS
This observational study shows that patients who have had BM&T have a higher incidence of TS than those who have not had the surgery. However our findings also show that 38% of the patients in this study who had TS had never undergone BM&T.
Friedman
E M
EM
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, MC 3-2600, 6621 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA. ellenf@bcm.tmc.edu
Sprecher
R C
RC
Simon
S
S
Dunn
J K
JK
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009225:Myringoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010036:Otolaryngology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012598:Sclerosis; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods