A Computerized Database for Chronic Ear Surgery: An Usefulness on Data Management

Kim, Hyung Jong

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent microcomputer technology has created an ideal instrument for storing, organizing and reporting the increasing data of surgical treatments for chronic ear infection, one of the most prevalent diseases in Korea. This study is aimed at describing the structure of computerized database for chronic ear surgery and emphasizing the need for such a database not only for useful record keeping purposes but also for the purpose of reliable clinical study and statistical review.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Database was tailored using the dBase III plus program (Ashton-Tate Inc. version 1.01). A total of 93 fields were included within the five standardized categories which were, patient demographics, clinical assessment findings, operative findings, surgical procedures and postoperative follow-up records. A total of 598 records were collected from the surgeries involving chronic ear infection from 1989 to 1996. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS PC+ for window (version 6.0) program.
RESULTS
Data on the laterality of the disease, hearing status of the operated ear, number of operations performed on the ear, diagnoses, preoperative complications, types of surgery performed, and pre- and post-operative hearing level could all be easily drawn from the database log. The postoperative eardrum perforation rate did not differ significantly among the cases with regards to different prognostic factors, such as existence of cholesteatoma, execution of ossicular chain reconstruction, closed vs open cavity mastoidectomy, primary vs revision operation and the use of synthetic prosthesis (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
A database of this kind will enable us to perform a rapid and accurate assessment of sytematized data, use compatible terminology and classification, and receive feedback on surgeon's own surgical protocols.