Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 11, 2025
Endoscopic Cholesteatoma Surgery
Published on: January 19, 2022
Pediatric type 1 tympanoplasty - Does age matter?
Ali Abood1, Bartosz Torzynski1, Therese Ovesen2
1Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Regional Hospital West Jutland, 7500, Holstebro, Denmark.
Insights
Type 1 tympanoplasty in children effectively repairs tympanic membrane perforations and improves hearing, with success rates around 91%. Age does not impact surgical outcomes, but postoperative infection increases failure risk.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Tympanic membrane perforations negatively impact quality of life, particularly in children, often necessitating surgical intervention.
- The optimal age for pediatric tympanoplasty remains a subject of debate in current medical literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the outcomes of type 1 tympanoplasty in pediatric patients.
- To determine the influence of patient age on the success rates of type 1 tympanoplasty.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 180 patients under 18 years old undergoing type 1 tympanoplasty.
- Analysis of tympanic membrane closure rate at six months post-surgery as the primary endpoint.
- Assessment of air-bone gap reduction and correlation between age and surgical success.
Main Results:
- A high surgical success rate of 91.3% was observed, with significant reduction in air-bone gap (19.8 dB to 6.9 dB).
- No correlation was found between patient age at surgery and the rate of surgical success.
- Postoperative infection was identified as a risk factor for surgical failure (RR 2.80, p=0.037).
Conclusions:
- Type 1 tympanoplasty is an effective surgical procedure for children, leading to an intact tympanic membrane and improved hearing.
- Surgical outcomes in pediatric tympanoplasty are not influenced by the patient's age.
- Preventing and managing postoperative infections is crucial for optimizing surgical success in pediatric tympanoplasty.
Introduction:
Tympanic membrane perforations might have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life, especially in the pediatric population. Surgery is therefore often required. The most adequate age for surgery remains unclear and is debated in the current literature. The aim of this study was to investigate outcomes of type I tympanoplasty in children and examine the impact of age on surgical outcome.
Methods:
Retrospective cohort study. All patients under the age of 18 undergoing type I tympanoplasty at Regional Hospital West Jutland, Denmark, from 1/1-2013 to 31/12-2017 had their medical files reviewed. The primary endpoint of interest was tympanic membrane closure rate six months following surgery, i.e. surgical success. Secondary outcomes were air-bone-gap reduction and the correlation between age and surgical success.
Results:
A total of 180 patients undergoing 197 procedures met the predefined criteria. Age at the time of surgery ranged between five and 17 years. Mean age at the time of surgery was 10.1 years (95% CI 9.1-11.2). Surgical success was achieved in 91,3% of the cases. No correlation between age and surgical success was found. Mean air-bone gap was reduced from 19.8 dB (95% CI 18.5-21.0) preoperatively, to 6.9 dB (95% CI 6.1-7.7) at follow-up, p < 0.05. Air-bone gaps ≤10 dB at follow-up were achieved in 155 of the cases (78.6%). Postoperative infection seemed to increase the risk of surgical failure, RR 2.80 ((95% CI 1.06-7.38), p = 0.037).
Conclusions:
Type 1 tympanoplasty in children is an effective treatment in terms of achieving an intact tympanic membrane and improved hearing. No correlation could be found between age and surgical success. Postoperative infection influences surgical outcome negatively.
More Related Videos
07:06Endaural Endoscopic Atticoantrotomy Retrograde Mastoidectomy using a Constant Suction Bone-drilling Technique
Published on: May 23, 2021
14:05Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
