Vol.99 No.12 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 99 No. 12 December 2006
Value of the Ventilation Tube in the Treatment of
Atelectatic Ear or Early Adhesive Otitis Media
Takashi Hiramatsu
(Hiramatsu ENT Clinic, Gihoku Kousei Hospital)
Chronic otitis media with effusion may progress to atelectatic ear and further adhesive otitis media. Treatment of advanced adhesive otitis media is very difficult.
To assess the value of the ventilation tube in the treatment of atelectatic ear and early adhesive otitis media, 5 ears with atelectasis and 5 ears with early adhesive otitis media (total of 8 patients) treated with ventilation tube insertion were investigated.
Once the ventilation tube was inserted, retractions of the tympanic membrane rapidly resolved in all ears with atelectasis. Even in ears with adhesive otitis media without surgical separation, their adhesions were almost resolved, and the retractions of the tympanic membrane finally disappeared in all ears. In two ears with atelectasis and one ear with slight adhesive otitis media, the ventilation tubes were rejected, but they had normal function for over 15 months.
These results suggested that ventilation tube insertion for early adhesive otitis media, the same as that for atelectatic ear, can at least help to control deterioration. Ventilation tube insertion may be of significant therapeutic value in some ears with early adhesive otitis media because of there being no appropriate treatment at present.
Key words :ventilation tube, early adhesive otitis media, ear with atelectasis, therapeutic value