Abstract
Background
Traumatic perforation of the tympanic membrane (TPTM) is often encountered in primary
care or in the emergency department (ED). Several therapeutic interventions have been
described, but conservative follow-up until spontaneous complete recovery is the most
common choice.
Objective
Our goal was to analyze the trauma mechanism, perforation characteristics, and outcome
of patients with TPTM.
Methods
The study included patients examined in the ED of a tertiary, university-affiliated
medical center because of TPTM between 2012 and 2016. Their medical records were retrospectively
reviewed for demographics, trauma mechanism, clinical characteristics, and outcome.
A phone survey was performed to obtain the missing information of all the patients
who did not continue their follow-up in our outpatient clinic.
Results
We reviewed the histories of 80 patients with a mean age of 26.7 ± 14.6 years (20
children; 25%). TPTM was caused by blunt trauma in 45 patients (56%) and penetrating
trauma in 35 patients (44%). Thirty-five patients (44%) completed their follow-up
in the hospital outpatient clinic, with a mean duration of 6.2 weeks. Twenty-five
patients (38%) completed their follow-up in a community-based otolaryngology clinic,
6 patients (9%) chose not to complete their follow-up, and 14 patients were lost to
follow-up. Of the 60 patients who completed follow-up, 56 patients recovered spontaneously,
3 patients underwent successful tympanoplasty, and 1 patient was referred to surgery
but was lost to follow-up. All children healed spontaneously.
Conclusion
TPTM was more common in young males with main mechanisms of blunt trauma (an assault)
or cleaning the ear canal. All children demonstrated complete spontaneous recovery.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 28, 2017
Accepted:
September 18,
2017
Received in revised form:
September 14,
2017
Received:
June 22,
2017
Footnotes
Reprints are not available from the authors.
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
