title: Tympanoplasty: is exposure adequate for otorhinolaryngology residents in Nigeria?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This   study    is   aimed    at   identifying   the extent of exposure of residents to tympanoplasty procedure during their training in Otorhinolaryngology  (ORL)  and proffer ways of improving such exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire assessing the exposure to tympanoplasty procedures was administered to   ORL   residents   who   were   randomly selected from six teaching hospitals in Nigeria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty five residents from six teaching hospitals answered the questionnaire. The residents had varied duration of training   from 11 months to  6years. Forty eight per cent (12 out of 25) of the residents had exposure to tympanoplasty, while only twenty per cent (5) had assisted at  tympanoplasty procedure, and none had ever performed the procedure. The causes of poor practical exposure to tympanoplasty were identified as absence of necessary equipment and lack of expertise in the training centres. Ninety-two (23) per cent rated the low exposure to tympanoplasty procedure as moderate to gross omission in the ORL fellowship training. Eighty seven per cent of the respondents advocated provision of equipment and posting to centres with facilities as a way of solving this problem. All the residents indicated willingness to train in tympanoplasty procedures in Nigeria or overseas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ORL residents are poorly exposed to tympanoplasty procedures in Nigeria. The need to train residents in this procedure in centres with facilities for better ORL services is hereby stressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear, Nose, Throat, Head and Neck, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PMB 1111, Benin city, Edo State, Nigeria. brotherpaulchima@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P R O C
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Adobamen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000193:education*; D055815:Young Adult