The surgical treatment of chronic otitis media in children.

The results of 150 tympanoplasties in patients aged 12 years and under are documented. Seventy-one ears were operated on by a transcanal tympanoplasty, of which 69 were intended to be single procedures but of which 12 required a revision operation. Combined approach tympanoplasty was performed on 79 ears, in which 42 operations were planned to be single procedures, 17 of whom required at least one revision operation. The results are described from the standpoint of control of disease and improvement of hearing. It is concluded that combined approach tympanoplasty can only be justified on a staged basis which has the added advantage of improving the results of ossiculoplasty.