Assessment of the Factors That Affect the Anatomic and Functional Success of Cartilage Tympanoplasty in Children.

OBJECTIVES: Many factors may influence the surgical outcome of tympanoplasty in children, including age, the size and location of perforation, otorrhea, status of contralateral ear, surgical technique, and adenoid hypertrophy. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of pediatric cartilage tympanoplasty and to assess the factors that affect the success of tympanoplasty in children.
METHODS: Children with chronic otitis media who underwent tympanoplasty using cartilage as graft material were evaluated retrospectively. Patient age, gender, size and site of the perforation, status of the contralateral ear, preoperative and postoperative hearing levels, surgical technique, and postoperative complications were noted.
RESULTS: Of the 72 patients included in the study, 27 were male and 35 were female. The average age was 13.22 ± 2.64 and mean follow-up time was 18.4 ± 8.62 months. Anatomic and functional success rates were 88.8% and 80.6%, respectively. Age, gender, and the status of the contralateral ear had no effect on surgical success rate. The mean preoperative and postoperative pure-tone averages were 33.2 6± 10.37 and 21.00 ± 13.25 dB, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Anatomic and functional outcomes of cartilage tympanoplasty are quite satisfactory in pediatric patients. Chronic otitis media should be treated surgically as early as when patient cooperation is possible.