Hearing loss in tympanosclerosis caused by grommets

The aim of the present study was to determine the degree of hearing impairment caused by tympanosclerosis of the eardrum as a result of grommet insertion. During the period 1977 to 1978 we treated 146 children who had bilateral secretory otitis with adenoidectomy, insertion of a ventilation tube on the right side, and myringotomy on the left. The children were reexamined 2 to 3 years and again 6 to 7 years postoperatively, and hearing was evaluated at 250, 1000, and 4000 Hz. Tympanosclerosis was demonstrated in 59% of the children on the side with grommet insertion compared with 13% in the contralateral ear. Hearing was slightly inferior in ears with tympanosclerosis compared with ears without tympanosclerosis, but the difference was small and nonsignificant. The hearing impairment caused by tympanosclerosis was less than 0.5 dB, which is inconsequential and cannot serve as an argument against the use of ventilation tubes. However, further studies with longer observation periods are warranted.