60才以上の慢性中耳炎と鼓室形成術

抄録

The number of elderly patients with chronic otitis media is on the increase because of the increasing percentage of elderly persons in the population. This paper is based on 24 tympanoplasties performed on elderly patients over 60 years of age. The clinical history, pathology and results of the operation were studied in order to find out whether chronic otitis media in this age range had some specific characteristics and whether tympanoplasty as a surgical procedure was applicable to aged patients.
There were no special inflammatory reactions in the ears of this age range. The postoperative hearing results as a whole were poor. However, in some cases good hearing gain approaching socially serviceable hearing or nearly this level was obtained, and in other cases a dry ear which facilitates the use of a hearing aid and prevents infection of the ear, was attained. Therefore, tympanoplasty procedure to obtain a dry ear is of particular importance in elderly patients.
It is concluded that although tympanoplasty, as a rule, can be applicable to elderly persons, if the patient is senile and physically older than his chronological age, tympanoplasty is not advisable.