TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PERFORATIONS IN CHILDREN

We have assessed children with perforations of the pars-tensa presenti ng to an otolaryngology clinic over a 7-year period. We found that ove r 70% of the perforations followed the insertion of a ventilation tube . Using a novel method of dividing the tympanic membrane into quadrant s, we were able to assess the sites and grade the size of perforations . The most common site of involvement, in all perforations, was the an tero-inferior quadrant. With the exception of perforations following t he use of T-tubes, we found little difference between the sites: sizes and hearing levels of ventilation tube and non-ventilation tube relat ed perforations. Larger perforations resulted in a greater degree of h earing loss.