Optimising the pre-treatment process before mobile ear surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media in Wolisso and Attat, Ethiopia.
BACKGROUND
Chronic suppurative otitis media is a major cause of long-standing hearing impairment in many Sub-Saharan African countries.


METHODS
Attempts were made to optimise the pre-treatment process before mobile ear surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media in Wolisso, a semi-urban community in the Oromia region, and in Attat, a rural community in the Gurage region, both in the south-west of Ethiopia, between 2008 and 2010. This included special training for ENT nurses, and the use of a strict scheduling regime and improved topical treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
This strategy allowed effective middle-ear surgery to be carried out using simple means and with a mobile ear surgery team, the latter of which is only transiently but regularly on site.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology,University Hospital Jena,Germany.
O
O
Guntinas-Lichius
Department of Otorhinolaryngology,University Hospital Jena,Germany.
C
C
Wittekindt
Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Jena,Germany.
M
M
Baier
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery,Maastricht University Medical Center,The Netherlands.
J J
JJ
Manni
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003906:Developing Countries; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000451:nursing / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D066231:Surgeons / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000451:nursing*; D055815:Young Adult