Effect of middle ear effusions (MEEs) from patients with OME on the mucociliary system were studied, by the use of in vitro and in vivo experimental models. In the presence of the medium containing serous MEEs, the ciliary activity from the eustachian tube demonstrated significant decrease as early as 36 hours post-culture. On the other hand, significant ciliary depression was observed as early as 6 hours in the presence of mucoid MEEs. Intratympanic inoculation of human MEEs induced serous OME in the guinea pig at 3 and 7 days. Such incidence was higher in animals injected with mucoid MEEs than those with serous ones. More obvious mucociliary dysfunction was also observed in animals injected with mucoid MEEs. Our study could indicate that effusions present in the ear contributes to the persistence of this disease.
