BACKGROUND: In the Philippines, screening for ear problems especially in children at entry to school is usually undertaken by school nurses and teachers who typically do not have specialized instrumentation. The penlight has recently been employed as screening method in determing the possibilities of ear problems in public school communities. This study attempts to determine the accuracy of the penlight as an alternative method for screening to assess the common external ear abnormalities among Grade 1 students in an elementary school. OBJECTIVES: 1. To compare the result of otologic examination using the penlight versus otoscopy in determining of common pediatric ear problems. 2. To determine the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of penlight examination in the screening of ear canal and tympanic membrane for abnormal conditions among Grade 1 students. METHODS: Otologic examination with the use of a penlight was carried out by the tranined nurse in ears of Grade 1 students and the results compared with those obtained from otoscopy done by an otolaryngologist. Presence of ear conditions such as cerumen, discharge, foreign body, tympanic membrane visualization, and an overall assessment were recorded in an Excel file. The examiners were both blinded with the findings. RESULTS: Ninety-four students (188 test ears) with a median age of 6 years, ranging from 5 to 10 years, and a 1:1 sex distribution were included in the study. The result showed an excellent agreement (P<.001) between the penlight and otoscopic examination. The sensitivity and specificity were of 98.6% and 100%, respectively. The PPV is nearly 100% and NPV of 95.2% and and overall accuracy of 98.94%. CONCLUSIONS There is an excellent agreement between the nurse‘s findings and otolaryngologist‘s findings in examining the ear canal and tympanic membrane. The penlight has on overall accuracy of 98.94%, in identifying cerumen, discharge, foreign body and visualizing the tympanic membrane. Thus, this study shows that with trained nurse in otologic examination, the penlight is an effective screening in identifying common ear problem among children.
Tympanic Membrane

No abstract available.
Tympanic Membrane Perforation* ; Tympanic Membrane*

No abstract available.
Tympanic Membrane Perforation* ; Tympanic Membrane*

No abstract available.
Temporal Bone* ; Tympanic Membrane*

Objective: To compare surgical outcomes (operative time and tympanic membrane integrity) obtained by endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty (ET) and microscopic post-auricular tympanoplasty (MT) in patient with inactive chronic otitis media. Methods: Design: Retrospective Cohort Setting: Multicenter study in 3 Private Tertiary Hospitals Participants: 18 patients who underwent microscopic or endoscopic tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media. Results: Each group had 9 patients, with median age of 43 (31-65 years) for the MT and 47 (29-59 years) for the ET group. There was no significant difference in median age of the two groups (Mann-Whitney U=17, P=.22). Male: female ratio was (5:4) and (6:3) for the ET and MT group respectively, with no significant difference in gender distribution (c2= 0.90, P=.34). Mean operative time for the ET and MT group was 86.7 minutes and 140.6 minutes, respectively, with significantly lower mean operative time for the ET group (t= 3.57, P=.0025). There was complete tympanic membrane graft uptake in both groups. Conclusion Regardless of technique, tympanoplasty is an effective surgical treatment among patients with inactive chronic otitis media. Endoscopic tympanoplasty is an alternative to conventional microscopic tympanoplasty that may use less operative time, producing similarly complete graft uptake.
Tympanoplasty ; Tympanic Membrane

Injury to the ear in welders is a recognized but poorly documented entity. The risk for ear injury from molten metal or hot sparks produced during welding procedures is low, but the effects can be significant. Burns, tympanic membrane perforations and chonic otorrhoea are the most common results. One case recently experienced at our institution highlight the risk that exists for middle ear injury. The traumatic thermal injury was caused by a metal spark perforating the tympanic membrane during welding. Neither subject was using ear protection at the time. The use of ear protection is strongly advocated during welding operations that place the ear at risk.
Burns ; Ear ; Ear, Middle ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation* ; Tympanic Membrane* ; Welding

Humans ; Stents ; Tympanic Membrane ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation ; surgery

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Paper patching for the treatment of traumatic tympanic membrane perforation is a safe, simple, and inexpensive method. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of proper paper-patch techniques for traumatic tympanic membrane perforation using more objective measurement of perforated area by image analyzer. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A prospective study of paper-patch techniques was carried out on 55 patients with traumatic perforations of the tympanic membrane. Objective semiquantitative measurement of the perforated area was performed using computerized image analyzer. Immediate eversion of inverted flaps and single to multiple patching techniques were used in all cases. Treatment results were analyzed according to various variables which may affect the healing rate. RESULTS: The closure rate of tympanic membrane with this paper patching method was 98.2% and the mean healing time was 2.9+/-1.9 weeks. Hearing impairment was correlated with the size of perforation which was measured quantitatively by image analyzer and the healing rate was decreased with infectious signs such as otorrhea. There were no side effects or complications. CONCLUSION: Multiple paper patching with proper technique for traumatic tympanic membrane perforation produced an excellent success rate and could be considered as part of initial therapeutic methods for all cases of large perforation with inverted flap.
Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Tympanic Membrane ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation

Cartilage ; Ear Auricle ; Humans ; Tympanic Membrane ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation ; Tympanoplasty

Vascular tinnitus, a sort of pulsatile tinnitus, should be differentiated with other sensorineural tinnitus because it is possible to be cured by correction of underlying systemic disease or surgery. The dehiscent high jugular bulb, a common cause of venous pulsatile tinnitus, can be cured by reconstruction of hypotympanum. We present a case of pulsatile tinnitus with dehiscent high jugular bulb which has been treated by surgery. Preoperative microscopic finding showed dark bluish pulsating mass in posteroinferior portion of tympanic membrane. Temporal bone CT showed high jugular bulb with bone defect of hypotympanum. The hypotympanum was reconstructed and high jugular bulb lowered using the harvested bony fragment from mastoid cortical bone. The pulsatile tinnitus disappeared immediately after surgery.
Mastoid ; Temporal Bone ; Tinnitus ; Tympanic Membrane