Pediatric otitis media with effusion: current surgical approach

Abstract

Otitis media with effusion (EOM), also called serous otitis media, is defined as the presence of fluid in the middle ear without signs of acute infection. EOM is a very common childhood disease. 90% of preschool children experience EOM, with an average of 4 episodes per year. There are 3 main factors in the etiology of EOM; impaired ventilation of the middle ear, infection and inflammation. Treatment of EOM is a combination of observation, medical and surgical therapies. The goals of treatment are to clear the middle ear fluid and restore normal middle ear pressure and hearing. In surgical treatment, myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement are the main approaches. Shepard Grommet type temporary tube application is the most commonly used material. The current version of the "Tympanostomy Tubes in Children" guideline published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) in 2013 was renewed in 2022. In this short review, we will explain the indications for surgical treatment of EOM-tympanostomy tube application with this guideline.