LONG-TERM POSTOPERATIVE FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OTITIS-MEDIA - DOES IT MAKE SENSE

Complications ('events') encountered during long-term post-operative f ollow-up (on average, 6.5 years) of 493 patients undergoing surgery fo r chronic otitis media or its sequelae were evaluated. After the immed iate post-operative period (of 30 days), in 44% of the patients at lea st one event was detected, infection being the most common, followed b y graft failure, hearing impairment and recurrence of cholesteatoma. I t was concluded that post-operative follow-up is necessary in all pati ents with chronic otitis media. The suitable length of follow-up was e stimated to be 8 years for patients with cholesteatoma, 7 years for pa tients with granulating otitis media and 5 years for patients operated on for the sequelae of otitis.