Are trainees being adequately taught myringoplasty? A prospective study of Eastern Deanery otolaryngology trainees' surgical experience.

Reviewing surgical training is an important function of a modern ENT unit, even more so following recent reform of postgraduate medical training in the UK. We have developed a tool to review otology training of Eastern Deanery trainees by constructing a middle ear surgery data base and use a commonly performed procedure, myringoplasty, to illustrate its function. Three hundred and ninety-three myringoplasty operations were identified between March 2002 and March 2006, of which 307 were included in this study as having had a myringoplasty alone uncomplicated by another middle ear procedure. Perforation closure was successful in 83% of these cases with 90% of patients experiencing a beneficial outcome regardless of supervision level. Trainees at all stages of training are being exposed to myringoplasty with an adequate de-escalation of supervision. Myringoplasty outcomes are independent of seniority, if appropriately supervised, implying that otology training in the Eastern Deanery is appropriate.