A longitudinal study on pediatric myringoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
Observational study on pediatric myringoplasty to examine the success rate in young and older children.


METHODS
Fifty-one first-time primary myringoplasties were analyzed on children aged 4 to 13 years.


METHODS
Using life-table analysis, the survival course of the graft in young children (aged 4-8 yr) was compared with those in older children (aged 9-13 yr). The effect of age on various outcome parameters, including otitis media with effusion/atelectasis, discharge, and hearing, was analyzed using the 12-month data.


RESULTS
The 3-year graft take rate was 83.8% (95% confidence interval: 70.2, 97.5%). At 12 months, only 63.0% (42.4, 80.6%) were free of otitis media with effusion/atelectasis and discharge and preserved their hearing. There is no evidence of a difference in outcome in young and older children.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no evidence that age influenced surgical outcome in pediatric myringoplasty. Although the graft take rate was more than 80%, true success was only found in two thirds of cases.
Yung
Matthew
M
Department of Otolaryngology, The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, Suffolk, UK. matthewyung@btconnect.com
Neumann
Codruta
C
Vowler
Sarah L
SL
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009225:Myringoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome