Effectiveness of surgical treatment of otitis media with effusion as a silent killer of hearing in children: in Aden

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of surgical treatment for otitis media with effusion (OME). It was designed as retrospective study and conducted in Aden during a period of six years. 132 children were diagnosed with otitis media with effusion. Males were 59.8% and females 40.2% and the mean age was 9.9±2.8 years. Most of the patients were from rural areas (78.8%). The mean duration from starting symptoms was 11.3±4.2 months. The most common cause was adenoids (45.5%). All preoperative tympanograms for both ears were type B. The postoperative tympanogram was in the right ear 88.7% type A, 3.0% type B and 8.3% type C. In the left ear were 87.9% type A, 1.5% type B and 10.6% type C. The surgical procedures were adenoidtectomy with tympanostomy tube, adeno-tonsillectomy with tympanostomy tube, and myringotomy with tympanostomy tube. The most frequent, complication was myringosclerosis 12(9.1%). The mean of preoperative hearing threshold of the right ear was 33.7 dB ± standard deviation (SD) 16 dB, also for the left ear was 33 dB ± SD 15.7 dB (p<0.05). The mean of postoperative hearing threshold of the right ear was 22.5 dB ± SD 11.2 dB, and for the left ear was 21.8 dB ± SD 10.8 dB (p<0.05). The hearing gain was 11.2 dB, and was equal in both ears. We concluded that surgical treatment of OME in the form of myringotomy and tympanostomy tubes with adenoidectomy is effective, safe and rapid, helping to restore the hearing of child immediately after operation.