Tympanoplasty, with or without mastoidectomy, is highly effective for treatment of chronic otitis media in children.

Conclusion: The overall success rate of tympanoplasty, with or without mastoidectomy, in the treatment of chronic pediatric otitis media, was high and did not depend on patient age, the status of the contralateral ear, the inclusion or absence of surgical mastoidectomy, or the method of mastoidectomy (when this procedure was employed). Tympanoplasty may be expected to improve hearing in cases of chronic otitis media accompanied by perforation, but not in cases of cholesteatoma.

Objectives: This study analyzed the clinical features of pediatric patents with chronic otitis media undergoing tympanoplasty, with or without mastoidectomy. Follow-up data were examined to determine the effectiveness of these procedures on the course of the patients' conditions.

Subjects and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 111 children (a total of 119 ears were treated from this group) aged 15 years or less, who underwent surgical treatment for pediatric chronic otitis media. The subjects were composed of children suffering from chronic otitis media with perforation (COMP) (63 ears), and patients presenting chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma (COMC) (56 ears). The mean follow-up period was 40 months. Preoperative and postoperative (at the final follow-up) audiometry and otologic examinations were performed. Data from postoperative otologic examinations and audiometric measurements were accompanied by examination of both the operative ear and the contralateral ear. Surgical success was defined as the presence of an intact tympanic membrane without perforation, retraction, or evidence of recurring cholesteatoma.

Results: The mean ages at the time of operation were 11.1+/-3.3 years for COMP patients and 9.7+/-3.0 years for COMC subjects. Surgical treatments for pediatric COMP and COMC patients included tympanoplasty only in 45 ears (38% of ears treated) and tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy in 74 ears (62%). Most of patients with COMC received tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy. No patient with COMP underwent canal wall-down mastoidectomy. Mean pre-operative air-bone gaps (ABGs) and post-operative ABGs were compared. Significant improvement in ABG was evident in the COMP group, but not in the COMC group. Surgical success rates at follow-up after 6 months and 12 months were 97% and 95%, respectively, in the COMP group. In the COMC patients, surgical success rates at follow-up after 6 months and 12 months were 98% and 93%. There were no significant relationships between surgical success rate and patient age, the status of the contralateral ear, or the extent of surgery.