- Abstract -

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a pathologic condition of the middle ear in which an effusion is present behind an intact eardrum without signs of acute inflamation.

The authors made a retrospective study on 134 children diagnosed with OME between 2004-2009 in the ENT Clinic Timisoara. In order to establish a diagnosis and a therapeutic conduct, children have been examined by otomicroscopy, audiometry and tympanometry with the testing of the acoustic reflex. When necessary, allergy tests have been added. A study protocol included that all patients benefit fron the treatment according to the aetiology. 74 patients (55.22%) were cured after 21 days following a drug treatment with nasal decongestants and antiinflamatory therapy. For 26 children (19.4%) adenoidectomy was performed due to the fact that repeted episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) and OME were asociated with chronic adenoiditis. For 18 patients (13.43%) antiallergic treatment was prescribed due to the rhinosinusal allergy association. Aditionally, 7 (5%) of these patients were the subjects of adenoidectomy and ventilation tube insertion. Ventilation tube insertion as stand alone treatment was performed on 16 patients (11.94%). However, in spite of the treatment, 10 patients presented refractory OME: 7 patients with medical treatment, 2 patients with grommet insertion and 1 patient with adenoidectomy.

Key words: otitis media with effusion, allergy, tympanostomy, adenoidectomy, grommet insertion