Hearing loss in young adults who had ventilation tube insertion in childhood.
It is known that insertion of ventilation tubes can cause damage to the tympanic membrane and hearing deterioration in the long-term. To investigate long-term effects of recurrent otitis media and of ventilation tube insertion, we used a study group (n = 358 subjects), with or without a history of otitis media and/or ventilation tube insertion, derived from a birth cohort that had been followed for 16 years. At 18 years of age, a standardized audiometric and otoscopic examination was performed. We found that ventilation tube insertion in childhood was associated with a mean persistent hearing loss in young adults of about 5 to 10 dB at the group level with a sensorineural component of 3 to 4 dB. This hearing loss could not be explained by the disease load of otitis media in childhood. Repeated insertions of ventilation tubes caused a greater deterioration of hearing than did a single insertion. Structural changes of the tympanic membrane were a mediating factor in the causal relationship between ventilation tube insertion and hearing loss. We conclude that ventilation tube insertion in childhood may induce hearing deterioration in the long-term.
de Beer
Brechtje A
BA
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Schilder
Anne G M
AG
Ingels
Koen
K
Snik
Ad F
AF
Zielhuis
Gerhard A
GA
Graamans
Kees
K
D000293:Adolescent; D001284:Atrophy; D001844:Bone Conduction; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000209:etiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology