Assessment of hearing outcomes in pre-adolescent cases of otitis media with effusion treated with adenoidectomy

Abstract

Background: Otitis media with effusion is one of the most common presenting features in children coming to the otorhinolaryngology outpatient with a variety of medical and surgical treatment modalities being offered. This study aims to evaluate post-adenoidectomy hearing outcomes in cases of otitis media with effusion in an attempt to provide long term benefits. Methods: It is a prospective study of 50 pre-adolescent cases in a tertiary care hospital. Pure tone audiometry and tympanometry was performed pre-operatively as well as at regular follow up intervals after adenoidectomy (along with tonsillectomy when indicated). The mean improvement in hearing outcomes was evaluated. Results: The mean hearing improvement when compared to baseline pre-op air-bone gap values were 8.4±6.35, 8.6±6.39, 8.1±6.99 at 15^th day, 1 month and 2 months post op respectively. There was also a significant shift of tympanometry curves from types B and C pre-op to types A and B 6 months post-op. Conclusions: Adenoidectomy, along with tonsillectomy when indicated, in children with hypertrophied adenoids as well as otitis media with effusion offers very good, long-standing hearing improvement and should always be considered in such patients so as to improve eustachian tube function and eradicate possible source of infection.