Tympanoplasty in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical features and follow-up of a series of pediatric patients with chronic otitis media undergoing tymponaplasty surgery and to identify the effect of the factors on the course.

METHODS

Forty-one children (mean age 15.1+/-2.62 years, range from 8 to 16 years) who had undergone tympanoplasty with or without ossicular reconstruction were evaluated. Age, gender, size and site of perforation, status of operated ear (dry/discharging), status of the contralateral ear, underlying cause of the perforations, surgical technique, preoperative and postoperative hearing levels, average postoperative follow-up time, and postoperative complications were recorded.

RESULTS

Myringoplasty in 28 patients (68.3%), incus interposition in 7 patients (17.1%), partial ossicular replacement prostheses in 4 patients (9.7%) and total ossicular replacement prostheses in 2 patients (4.9%) were performed. In the 37 (90.2%) of patients, intact graft was determined during postoperative follow-up. Surgical success including intact graft and postoperative air-bone gap of less than 25 dB were obtained in 34 (82.9%) cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggested that tympanoplasty was a quite successful method in the appropriate pediatric patients between the ages of 8 and 16 years. In the preoperative evaluation for surgery success, some factors, such as dry middle ear, healthy contralateral ear and concordant to postoperative care should be considered.