Myringoplasty and tympanoplasty--results related to training and experience

The results of surgery in a series of 452 ears having either myringoplasty (281 ears) or tympanoplasty (171 ears) were studied in relation to the experience of the surgeons. The trainees received an annual course in temporal bone dissection and were given daily surgical instruction in the operating theatre. The 142 ears operated by them showed less disease than those operated upon by the programme chairman (114 ears) and by the faculty (196 ears). The performance of the trainees was safe, and as to healed tympanic membrane and hearing results all studied parameters were statistically equal to those of the faculty. Repair of anterior perforations proved to be the most difficult and the overall results of both the faculty and trainees left place for improvement. On-line recording of surgical data and annual evaluation of an individual surgeon's results is suggested as a necessary means for continuous post-graduate training.