Infection rates after tympanostomy tube insertion, comparing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory, Australia: a retrospective, comparative study.

OBJECTIVE To determine if there is a difference in infection rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children, following tympanostomy and ventilation tube placement, in the Northern Territory, Australia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cohort of 213 patients aged zero to 10 years who had undergone tympanostomy and ventilation tube placement at the Royal Darwin Hospital between 1996 and 2004 were identified. Patients were divided into Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal groups, from their medical record. Factors such as age, sex, dwelling (remote or urban) and season were compared for each group, in order to ascertain if they contributed to infection rates. A retrospective analysis of cases was conducted for the two-year post-operative period. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in infection rates between the two groups (37 vs 35 per cent). There was no statistically significant difference when comparing the two groups for age, sex, season, or remote vs urban dwelling. CONCLUSION Aboriginal children were not prone to more infections following tympanostomy tube placement when compared with non-Aboriginal children.