title: [Prevalence of chronic tympanic membrane perforation in the adult population].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The goal of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of chronic tympanic membrane perforation in the adult population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 1,000 subjects (453 males, 547 females) aged 18-93 years. In addition to interview data, ear examinations were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were eight subjects with unilateral chronic tympanic membrane perforation and a single subject with a bilateral perforation. The age adjusted prevalence of chronic tympanic membrane perforation was 0.45% (95% confidence interval: 0.03-0.87). Eight out of nine subjects disliked tympanoplasty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high proportion of subjects with chronic tympanic membrane perforations who do not want to be operated suggests that there is a considerable need for novel therapeutic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenkrankheiten, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 43-45, 17475 Greifswald. H.Kaftan@web.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaftan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noack
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hosemann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data