Aim. The aim of this paper was to evaluate anatomical and
functional outcomes 5 years after myringoplasty in children
affected by perforated eardrum. To analyze the main differences
in the frequency of postoperative complications between
patients under and over 9 years of age.
Methods. One hundred and thirty-two children, aged from
4 to 15 years, who underwent myringoplasty with or without
mastoidectomy, were followed for a five-year period after
surgery. The cohort was divided in two groups: children from
4 to 9 years old (G1) and patients older than 9 years (G2);
all subjects underwent a pre- and post-operatively clinical
exam and were evaluated through audiometry and impedenzometry.
Adenoidectomy, if necessary, was performed three
months before myringoplasty.
Results. Of the total 132 children of our cohort, the 32.58%
were from 4 to 9 years old (G1) and the 67.42% were older
than 9 years (G2). Twenty-five (58.13%) G1 and 2 (2.24%)
G2 patients underwent adenoidectomy before myringoplasty
(P<0.0001); in 18 (41.86%) G1 and 23 (25.84%) G2 subjects
a mastoidetomy was associated to myringoplasty (P=0.062).
The main postoperative complications observed were respectively
retraction pockets (9.3%) and recurrent seromucous
otitis (9.3%) in G1 group and myringosclerosis (4.4%) in G2
group. The GAP index (IG) resulted >2 (good-excellent degree)
in the 89.36% of G1 and 91% of G2 children (P>0.5).
Conclusion. Nevertheless good audiologic outcomes in patients
under and over 9 years of age, our study evidenced
a different percentages of success after myringoplasty in
G1 and G2 groups (P=0.0024). Thus, considering the higher
percentage of postoperative complications in children with
less than 9 years of age, myringoplasty should be considered cautiously due to the risk of reperforation and/or cholesteatoma
