[Long-term result of grommets in children with secretory otitis media].

4-year retrospective study was performed in 152 children (279 ears) with secretory otitis media (SOM) in order to evaluate the long-term result with grommets. In 158 ears which were well controlled by grommets, the mean duration of treatment was 13.8 months. The tube was inserted once in 98 ears (62%), twice in 31 ears (20%), three times in 19 ears (12%) and four times or more in 10 (6%). Otoscopic changes of the eardrum were observed in 23% of the ears during the treatment. On the other hand, 11 of 30 abnormal eardrums which showed tympanosclerosis, atrophy, or atelectasis at the first visit, were improved after the treatment with grommets. The incidence of abnormal eardrum were markedly increased in cases which were treated with more than two times insertion of grommets and also in cases treated in long period, i, e., more than ten months. Conductive hearing loss (10-20dB) was observed in 5 ears with grommets which were complicated with atelectasis and diffuse atrophy. From the result discribed above, the tube might successfully improve many SOM. However, considering those long-term results, much attention must be paid for the indication of grommets.