小児浸出性中耳炎の予後と乳突蜂巣発育度

Abstract

We examined 858 ears of children aged 3 to 15 years to determine whether or not the prognosis of otitis media with effusion could be predicted from the degree of pneumatization. The area of the cellulae was determined by the square area technique, from X-ray films taken according to the method of Schüller. Four areas were considered: below 6cm2, 6-10cm2, 10-15cm2 and over 15cm2.When the area was over 15cm2, the disease was healed in nearly all ears, and rapid healing (within one year) was observed in 55%. When the area was 10-15cm2, the rate of healing was over 90%. When the area was 6-10cm2, the incidence of complication by secondary disease was 7%, and the percentage of ears requiring treatment for 5 years or longer was 8%, although the final rate of healing was close to 90%. But the area was 6-10cm2 at ages over 10 years, the incidence of secondary disease was 28%. When the area was below 6cm2, healing took even longer, and the incidence of secondary disease rose sharply to 26%, although the final rate of healing was 60%. But the area was below 6cm2 at ages over 10 years, the incidence of secondary disease was as high as 64%.These results suggest that patients with a cellula area below 10cm2 require careful treatment, and that those whose cellulae increase during the follow-up period tend to have a better prognosis.