ABSTRACT
Myringoplasty can be defined as the surgical repair of the tympanic membrane. The three principal indications for myringoplasty are recurrent otorrhoea, hearing loss due to a chronic perforation, and the desire to swim without having to waterproof the ear. The presence of a perforation exposes the middle ear to the risk of recurrent infection from external sources. This can have a significant effect on the quality of life, together with a risk of progression of the middle ear pathology. The presence of cholesteatoma is an absolute contraindication to myringoplasty alone. There is a debate as to whether age plays a part in success rates following myringoplasty. Some would advocate avoiding such surgery in younger children, awaiting Eustachian tube (ET) maturity prior to contemplating perforation repair. Morphological changes in the ET that accompany improvement in function are most marked after the age of 7 years, with many managing these patients conservatively until after this age, assuming these patients were relatively asymptomatic.
