Fifty-nine type 1 tympanoplasties in children under 14 years of age were assessed by recall to a special follow-up clinic up to 15 years post-operatively. Overall 78 per cent of tympanic membranes were found to be intact with a late failure of grafts noted in 6 per cent of cases. An improvement in the audiological threshold was found in 51 per cent, 24 per cent were unchanged, the remaining 25 per cent suffered a deterioration which was seen both immediately post-operatively and thereafter until reviewed in the special clinic. The age at operation, size of the perforation, grade of surgeon carrying out the operation and prior adenoidectomy had no statistically significant influence on the success rate or the audiologicaloutcome. Revision procedures achieved similar graft take rates to the initial procedures but fared worse audiologically. We conclude that in the majority the operation was successful but hearing gain was not as good as expected and subject to late deterioration. A long term follow-up is important to detect this and other complications.