title: Long-term ventilation of the middle ear using a subannular tympanotomy technique: a follow-up study.
abstract: The results of a nine-year series of patients who underwent long-term middle ear ventilation using a tympanotomy technique are presented. The original series of 26 cases was published in 1995. The same series has now expanded to 37 cases, which form the basis of this follow-up study. In contrast to the original series we found a high spontaneous extrusion rate (68 per cent) and in 27 per cent of cases complications necessitated removal of the subannular T tube. In favour of the technique was a low perforation rate after extrusion or removal (eight per cent). Although only nine per cent underwent re-ventilation this is unlikely to represent resolution of the middle ear effusion in the remaining cases. We conclude that the adverse effects of the subannular tympanotomy technique for long-term ventilation of the middle ear outweigh the benefits when compared with the traditional technique of placing a T tube through a myringotomy incision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK. pjassar@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jassar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coatesworth
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Strachan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020878:Device Removal; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection; D016896:Treatment Outcome