Transtympanic neurectomy: a solution to drooling problems.

Thirty patients underwent transtympanic neurectomy because of severe drooling problems. Most of the group had cerebral palsy and/or mental retardation and the remainder had suffered brain damage. Their ages ranged from four to 56 years. There was improvement in drooling in 87 per cent of the group 14 months post-operatively, and there was no serious, irreversible complications. In this series of patients, transtympanic neurectomy has proved to be a safe and effective procedure for the control of drooling.