In a review. of our operated cases of chronic otitis rriedia performed by the same operator during the past 7 years, the records of 324 ears that were operated on for the first time were selected for analysis of the pre-and intraoperative clinical findings, especially concerning the benignity of central perf o mation in this disease. The results disclosed that central perforation of the tympanic membranne is not always a benign site of perforation.