Change of Hearing after Insertion of Ventilation Tube in Children with Secretory Otitis Media

Abstract

The effect of inserting a ventilation tube (VT) in the treatment of severe secretory otitis media (SOM), which has been considered to be caused by sinusitis, tonsillitis, recurrent otitis media and nasal allergy, was evaluated by recording hearing of 51 ears in 30 children after operation (insertion of VT and adenotonsillectomy or adenotomy), and of 62 ears in 32 children for which adenotomy or adenotonsillectomy without insertion of VT was performed.
The cases treated with adenotonsillectomy were improved better than those treated with adenotomy, when VT was inserted but vice versa when VT was not inserted.
In the cases treated with insertion of VT hearing was restored markedly immediately after operation, with no change during tube insertion.
Immediately after insertion of VT the he a ring of cases with recurrent otitis media or nasal allergy was not restored as well as those without either illness.
In the periods of tube insertion the hearing of cases with to n sillitis or nasal allergy was not restored as well as those without either illness.
Especially conservative therapy was nee d ed for cases given tonsillitis or nasal allergy after operation.
In children with each induced factor such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, recurrent otitis media, and nasal bleeding, cases treated with insertion of VT and adenotonsillectomy or adenotomy were improved better than those treated without insertion of VT and with adenotonsillectomy or adenotomy.