Spontaneous course of secretory otitis and changes of the eardrum
M. Tos, S. E. Stangerup, S. Holm-Jensen and C. H. Sorensen
In 222 nonselected, otherwise healthy children, seven repetitive
tympanometric screenings were performed from ages 4 to 7 years. At the last
three screenings, otomicroscopy was performed and the changes of the
eardrum were analyzed. At age five years 24%, at age six years 37%, and at
age seven years 39% of all 444 ears had changes of the eardrum, either
attic retractions of varying degrees, atrophy, and/or tympanosclerosis of
the pars tensa. There was a notable correlation between eardrum
abnormality, the tympanometric profile, and the frequency of acute otitis
media. Some unstability of the eardrum abnormality occurred over the years,
especially of attic retractions and tympanosclerosis. Treatment, especially
by grommets, probably cannot prevent eardrum abnormality.
