PERFORATION RATES AFTER VENTILATION TUBE INSERTION - DOES THE POSITIONING OF THE TUBE MATTER

A prospective study was performed of children undergoing bilateral ven tilation tube insertion. One hundred and twenty-one children aged betw een 9 months and 10 years 3 months were admitted for surgery for secre tory otitis media (glue ear). Each child had a ventilation tube insert ed anteriorly in the tympanic membrane of one ear and posteriorly in t he tympanic membrane of the other. They underwent regular clinical and audiological assessment until extrusion of the ventilation tubes occu rred. Perforations were noted in 2.75% of tympanic membranes (4.6% of the children). The rate with posteriorly placed ventilation tubes was higher than with the anteriorly placed ventilation tubes (3.7% compare d with 1.8%) though this is not statistically significant.