scholarly journals Grommets - an update on common indications for tympanostomy tube placement

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 13-16
Author(s):  
Kim Outhoff

Children younger than 7 years are at increased risk of otitis media because of their immature immune systems and poorly functioning eustachian tubes that normally ventilate the middle ear space and equalize pressure with the external environment. More than 80% of children have at least one episode of acute otitis media (AOM) before the age of 3 years and 40% experience six or more recurrences by the time they are 7 years old.1 By the age of 3 years, approximately 7% of children undergo surgery for tympanostomy tube insertion for a range of otitis media issues, most commonly for chronic otitis media with effusion (OME), recurrent acute AOM, and acute otitis media that persists despite antibiotic therapy.2 However, tympanostomy tube insertion is associated with risks and remains a controversial practice especially in children with OME of less than three months’ duration and in children with recurrent AOM. Adverse effects associated with tympanostomy tube insertion include those associated with anaesthesia and its complications (laryngospasm, bronchospasm), as well as tube related sequelae such as recurrent (7%) or persistent (16–26%) otorrhoea, blockage of the tube lumen (7%), granulation tissue (4%), premature extrusion of the tube (4%), tympanostomy tube displacement into the middle ear (0.5%) and persistent perforation of the tympanic membrane (1%–6%).3 This article offers guidance for family practitioners wishing to optimize health outcomes in children potentially requiring tympanostomy tube placement.

2020 ◽  
pp. 115-117
Author(s):  
K Outhoff

Children younger than 7 years are at increased risk of otitis media because of their immature immune systems and poorly functioning eustachian tubes that normally ventilate the middle ear space and equalise pressure with the external environment. More than 80% of children have at least one episode of acute otitis media (AOM) before the age of 3 years and 40% experience six or more recurrences by the time they are 7 years old. By the age of 3 years, approximately 7% of children undergo surgery for tympanostomy tube insertion for a range of otitis media issues, most commonly for chronic otitis media with effusion (OME), recurrent AOM, and acute otitis media that persists despite antibiotic therapy. However, tympanostomy tube insertion is associated with risks and remains a controversial practice especially in children with OME of less than three months’ duration and in children with recurrent AOM. Adverse effects associated with tympanostomy tube insertion include those associated with anaesthesia and its complications (laryngospasm, bronchospasm), as well as tube related sequelae such as recurrent (7%) or persistent (16–26%) otorrhoea, blockage of the tube lumen (7%), granulation tissue (4%), premature extrusion of the tube (4%), tympanostomy tube displacement into the middle ear (0.5%) and persistent perforation of the tympanic membrane (1–6%). This article offers guidance for family practitioners wishing to optimise health outcomes in children potentially requiring tympanostomy tube placement.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-22
Author(s):  
Ho Sandra ◽  
David J Kay

ABSTRACT Tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion for ventilation of the middle ear is one of most commonly performed procedures in the United States. Indications for tube insertion include otitis media with effusion, recurrent acute otitis media, hearing loss caused by middle ear effusion and persistent acute otitis media. In general, TTs are divided into two categories, short-term tubes and long-term tubes. Depending on the indications for tube placement and surgeon experience with the TT, different tubes can be used. A myriad of tubes have been created since their first documented use in 1845 in attempts to provide better middle ear ventilation, improve ease of placement and prevent complications, such as post-tube otorrhea, persistent perforation and tube occlusion. In order for a tube to be effective, it should be biocompatible with the middle ear to minimize a foreign body reaction. Teflon and silicone remain two of the most commonly used materials in TTs. In addition, the tube design also plays a role for insertion and retention times of TTs. Lastly, TTs can also be coated with various substances, such as silver-oxide, phosphorylcholine and more recently, antibiotics and albumin, in order to prevent biofilm formation and decrease the rate of post-TT otorrhea. Persistent middle ear effusion affects many children each year and can impact their quality of life as well as hearing and language development. With nearly 1 out of every 15 children by the age of 3 years receiving TTs, it is imperative that the right tube be chosen to facilitate optimal ventilation of the middle ear while minimizing complications. How to cite this article Ho S, Kay DJ. Tympanostomy Tube Selection: A Review of the Evidence. Int J Head Neck Surg 2016;7(1):17-22.


Author(s):  
Ashutosh S. Kumar ◽  
Gundappa D. Mahajan ◽  
James Thomas ◽  
Tejal A. Sonar

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Otitis media with effusion (OME) is defined as the presence of a middle ear effusion in the absence of infection. Fluid in the middle ear is associated most commonly with a conductive hearing loss and an increased risk of acute middle ear infection. It can have an impact on quality of life. The objective of our study was to assess symptomatology of OME, study complications following tympanostomy tube insertion in OME and to highlight the age, sex distribution of otitis media with effusion.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This prospective study was conducted in Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College and Hospital, Pimpri, Pune from October 2017 to March 2019. 50 ears of patients aged between 6 to 50 years with OME were included in the study. All the patients were observed for symptomatology and postoperative complications who underwent Tympanostomy tube insertion.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> OME is commoner in children and adolescents with no gender preponderance. The most common otoscopic findings pre-operatively included dull lustreless amber colored tympanic membrane in 56% (n=28), Retracted Tympanic Membrane and for shortened handle of malleus in 28% (n=14), air bubbles were seen in 12% (n=6) whereas fluid level was seen in 4% (n=2). Common complications post operatively included myringosclerosis and tympanic membrane atelectasis seen in 10% and 6% respectively.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Tympanostomy tube insertion is one of the ideal treatments in management of otitis media with effusion, most commonly affecting younger age groups, with fewer complications, which can lead to a better quality of life.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-61
Author(s):  
Ghassan Hassan Rahim

Background: Otitis media with effusion is characterized by accumulation of fluid in the middle ear in absence of acute inflammation and  it is the most common cause of  acquired hearing loss in children, and may  negatively affect language development failure of medical treatment of middle ear effusion frequently require myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion. Objectives: To determine tympanostomy tube complications of tube in children with chronic otitis media with effusion who were treated with Shah Grommet tube insertion. Methods: The Medical records of 162 ears of 87 children (52 male and 35 female) were reviewed respectively, the patients ages were between 3 to 16 years old (mean age =8.11 years), patient were followed for 6-66 months (mean 23.3) after tympanostomy tube insertion. Tube extrusion time was also reviewed in all patients, and the indication for surgery was chronic middle ear effusion. Results: Otorrhea accured in nine ears (5.6%), granulation tissue was seen in 2 ears (1.2%), myringosclerosis in (34.6%) persistent perfor-ation (5.6%), atrophy (23.5%) retraction (16.7%) and medial displacement 1.2% the average extrusion time was 8.5 month ( ± 4.6). Conclusions: complications of tympanostomy tube insertion are common and the most common are otorrhea myringosclerosis, atrophy but they are generally insignificant consequently in majority of these complications there is no need for management.


1994 ◽  
Vol 103 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 20-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Scott Giebink

Recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) is an extremely prevalent disease in young children. Epidemiologic associations suggest that primary prevention or reduction of AOM frequency may be achieved with breast-feeding during infancy, elimination of household tobacco smoking, and use of small rather than large day-care arrangements for infants and toddlers. Secondary antimicrobial prophylaxis with amoxicillin or sulfisoxazole reduces the frequency of recurrent AOM by about 50%, but it does not appear to reduce the duration of otitis media with effusion (OME). Tympanostomy tube insertion is not as effective as amoxicillin in reducing AOM frequency in children without OME. Adenoidectomy appears to be warranted for children who develop recurrent AOM after extrusion of tubes. Vaccines against the common bacteria and viruses causing AOM hold the greatest promise of preventing AOM and blocking the sequence of pathologic events leading to chronic OME and middle ear sequelae. The greatest progress has been made recently with pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccines, and clinical testing is in progress.


1992 ◽  
Vol 101 (10_suppl) ◽  
pp. 21-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuo Himi ◽  
Toshio Suzuki ◽  
Hiroyuki Takezawa ◽  
Hiroyuki Kodama ◽  
Akikatsu Kataura

Levels of cytokines, interleukin (IL)–1α, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were investigated in samples of the middle ear effusions (MEEs) from 144 ears with otitis media with effusion (OME) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, followed by cytologic analysis. Middle ear effusions of the acute purulent type contained a significantly higher concentration of cytokines compared with normal control sera (p < .001). Cytokines were observed at lower levels in MEE in adults than in children. Tests of children at the chronic stage of MEE showed higher levels of TNF than IL-1 and GM-CSF. Meanwhile, IL-1β showed significantly higher concentrations in acute purulent types than in serous and mucoid types (p < .01). In cytologic analysis, the mean level of IL-1β was significantly higher in the neutrophil-rich group than in other groups (p < .05). Cytokines possess several biologic properties, some of which are associated not only with acute otitis media but also with chronic otitis media. This study showed that cytokines, especially IL-1β, contribute to infiltration into the middle ear by inflammatory cells. This implies that the persistent presence of cytokines in MEE could be a factor in prolonged OME.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 639-652
Author(s):  
Charles D. Bluestone ◽  
Jerome O. Klein ◽  
Jack L. Paradise ◽  
Heinz Eichenwald ◽  
Fred H. Bess ◽  
...  

GOALS, DEFINITIONS, AND CLASSIFICATION OF OTITIS MEDIA —Charles D. Bluestone, MD The goal of this Workshop was to assess current knowledge concerning the effects of otitis media on the child. Experts in pediatrics, infectious disease, otolaryngology, audiology, speech, linguistics, and psychology met in Chicago on Aug 25, 1982 to participate in this Workshop. A summary of the discussions is presented here. Otitis media is broadly defined as an inflammation of the middle ear without reference to etiology or pathogenesis.1 Otitis media with effusion is an inflammation of the middle ear in which a collection of liquid (i.e., middle ear effusion) is present in the middle ear space (no perforation of the tympanic membrane is present). Atelectasis of the tympanic membrane, which may or may not be associated with otitis media, is defined as either collapse or retraction of the tympanic membrane. Acute otitis media implies a rapid and short onset of signs and symptoms lasting approximately 3 weeks. From 3 weeks to 3 months, the process may be resolving or subacute. If middle ear effusion persists beyond 3 months, the condition is classified as chronic otitis media with effusion. Many terms have been used for acute otitis media, such as "suppurative," "purulent," or "bacterial" otitis media; however, a "serous" effusion may also have an acute onset. Otitis media with effusion unaccompanied by signs and symptoms of acute inflammation has also had a plethora of other names: "serous," "secretory," "nonsuppurative," and "glue ear" have been the most commonly used. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF OTITIS MEDIA


1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 191-195
Author(s):  
Suzanne Maxson ◽  
Terry Yamauchi

Definitions Acute otitis media with effusion (AOME) is a clinically identifiable, suppurative infection of the middle ear. The infection has a relatively sudden onset and short duration. It denotes inflammation of the mucoperiosteal lining of the middle ear. The inflamed tympanic membrane (TM) is bulging, opacified, or both. The condition chronic otitis media is poorly defined, but it may be categorized into two clinical entities for simplification: chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) and chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). COME, also known as serous or non-suppurative otitis media, is characterized by the presence of a middle ear effusion (MEE) behind an intact TM that persists for more than 2 to 3 months. It may be asymptomatic except for hearing loss. There generally are no acute clinical signs or symptoms, and the TM is not red or bulging. CSOM is characterized by chronic perforation of the TM, with purulent discharge, for a prolonged period of time, usually more than 6 weeks. There generally is an insidious clinical onset. Either COME or CSOM may follow AOME. Epidemiology Otitis media is one of the most frequent causes for physician visits by children. Approximately 25% of such visits during the first year of life are for middle ear disease; this increases to 40% for children 4 to 5 years of age.


1994 ◽  
Vol 103 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 59-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa L. Hunter ◽  
Robert H. Margolis ◽  
G. Scott Giebink

Hearing loss is the most common complication of otitis media. Hearing loss secondary to otitis media has increasingly been associated with significant developmental and educational problems. However, not enough is known about the peripheral auditory effects of otitis media. The young age of most children affected by otitis media makes detailed audiologic assessment challenging. This paper presents a brief synopsis of audiologic strategies that may be employed to assess the hearing status of infants and children with otitis media with effusion. Data pertaining to the risk of hearing loss recurrence after tympanostomy tube insertion are presented from a prospective longitudinal study of hearing in children with chronic otitis media with effusion.


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