Pseudomonas otitis media after eustachian tube obstruction.

Previous experiments have shown that Pseudomonas aeruginosa may infect the middle ears of chinchillas by way of the eustachian tube and that chinchillas with acute otitis media (AOM) are more susceptible to pseudomonas infection than animals without AOM. The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of otitis media with effusion (OME), induced by means of eustachian tube obstruction, on middle ear susceptibility to nasal inoculation of P. aeruginosa. Chinchilla eustachian tubes were obstructed with silicone rubber sponge bilaterally; OME developed in eight animals (11 ears)--three bilaterally and five unilaterally--and persisted for 6 months. Ten chinchillas with normal eustachian tube function served as controls. All animals were nasally inoculated with 5 x 10(6) colony-forming units of P. aeruginosa. Pseudomonas otitis media developed in eight of 11 OME ears with effusion, none of five ears without OME, and four of 20 control ears (chi 2 = 11.782, p = 0.003). Therefore, P. aeruginosa can infect the middle ear by way of the eustachian tube. Tubal dysfunction may lead to the development of chronic suppurative otitis media by increasing tubotympanic susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens.     

Alternative indications for laser-assisted tympanic membrane fenestration

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the utility of the CO(2) Flashscanner laser for treatment of selected middle ear diseases other than otitis media with effusion (OME) and acute otitis media (AOM). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the records of 144 patients treated with the OtoLAM((R)) device, a Flashscanner laser, between July 1, 1998, and February 29, 2000. Patients treated for AOM or OME were excluded. RESULTS: Data are presented on 11 patients (17 ears). Four indications were identified: Elimination of middle ear fluid before auditory brainstem response with or without otoacoustic emission testing (ABR +/- OAE), barotrauma, eustachian tube obstruction, tympanocentesis when a culture of middle ear fluid was deemed necessary. All tympanic membranes (TM) healed. CONCLUSIONS: Fenestration of the TM can be accomplished for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Laser assisted tympanic membrane fenestration seems to be effective in the management of middle ear fluid before ABR +/- OAE, barotrauma, eustachian tube dysfunction, and for tympanocentesis.     

Transtympanic eustachian tuboplasty and tolerance of stenting materials

The purpose of this study was to evaluate various eustachian tube stenting materials in an attempt to develop a successful transtympanic eustachian tuboplasty technique. Eustachian tube mucosa was removed transtympanically in 40 feline ears. Ten ears were used as controls. Polyethylene, Silastic, and polyurethane stents were placed in 30 ears, 10 ears with each material. The ears were evaluated after a minimum of 8 weeks and the stents were removed. Eight weeks after stent removal the ears were assessed visually, tympanometrically, and by biopsies of the osseous eustachian tube mucosa. Inadequate middle ear ventilation as evidenced by persistent otitis media, persistent tympanic membrane perforations, or type B or type C tympanograms was found in 60% of control, 30% of Silastic-stented, 60% of polyurethane-stented, and 0% of polyethylene-stented ears. Small polyethylene stents were most successful in reestablishing eustachian tube function in this experiment.     

Late-phase allergy and eustachian tube dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the role of late-phase allergy in the development of otitis media with effusion. METHODS: Brown Norway rats were sensitized to ovalbumin and later challenged transtympanically. Eustachian tube ventilatory function was assessed 2, 4, 8, 24, 28, and 32 hours postchallenge by measuring passive opening and closing pressures, active clearance of positive and negative middle ear pressure, and mucociliary clearance. RESULTS: The results demonstrate that exposure to transtympanic allergen induces eustachian tube dysfunction and subsequent formation of effusion. Allergic animals showed significant increases in passive and active opening pressures, as well as a decreased ability to actively clear middle ear pressure. Finally, the mucociliary was significantly impaired in all sensitized rats exposed to transtympanic allergen. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that late-phase allergy leads to significant eustachian tube dysfunction and subsequent formation of effusion by impairing the ventilatory and clearance functions of the eustachian tube.     

Laser-assisted tympanostomy in pediatric patients with serous otitis media.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate prognostic factors related with cure rate, in pediatric patients with serous otitis media treated with laser-assisted tympanostomy without ventilation tubes, in a single institution. PATIENTS AND METHOD: The procedure was performed on 124 ears in 88 individuals, from 3 to 14 years old. External auditory canal anatomy, type of anesthesia, tympanic membrane and middle ear fluid characteristics, myringotomy size, and laser parameters, in relation to cure rate, were accordingly studied. RESULTS: The overall cure rate by ear at the end of the 2-month follow-up period was 54.83%, whereas 45.17% still suffered from otitis media. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that the presence of a thick tympanic membrane is significantly correlated with pure outcome in children with serous otitis media, when laser-assisted tympanostomy without ventilation tubes is performed favoring a worse cure rate (P < 0.023). Other parameters did not statistically correlate with the outcome. A 41% parental dissatisfaction rate was noticed. CONCLUSION: This study addresses selection bias for children with serous otitis media, candidates for laser-assisted tympanostomy. These are related to the duration of serous otitis media, the condition of middle ear mucosa, the thickness of the tympanic membrane, the type of anesthesia, and the cost of laser apparatus. There is likely to be a causal relationship between outcome and tympanic membrane appearance in children undergoing laser-assisted tympanostomy.     

Tympanic membrane and middle ear pathologic correlates in mucoid otitis media.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to correlate tympanic membrane (TM) and middle ear (ME) pathologies in mucoid otitis media (MOM). Methods and Material: Forty ears with MOM and 56 control ears were retrospectively evaluated for TM and ME pathologies. Comparisons of TM thicknesses in MOM versus control ears were correlated with the Student t test; chi(2) analysis was used to correlate pathologic findings of the TM and ME. RESULTS: Thicknesses in all quadrants except the umbo were increased in MOM because of infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibrosis. The most common ME pathologies were granulation tissue and fibrosis. Significant correlations included (1) TM retraction and ME granulation tissue and fibrosis and (2) pars flaccida, posterosuperior, and anteroinferior thickness and ME granulation tissue and fibrosis. CONCLUSION: TM changes are likely to occur in patients with otitis media with effusion (MOM), and their presence is a strong indication of underlying ME pathology.     

Bacterial findings in middle ear effusion in children

During 1983-87, tympanostomy tubes were inserted in a total of 4952 ears of 2575 children remitted to the ENT Department of our hospital because of chronic or recurrent otitis media problems. The children were included in a prospective study and referred to one of three groups for comparison of findings. Group 1 included all 6- to 12-month-old infants undergoing primary tube treatment; group 2, all children 1 year or older who had their first ventilation tube(s) inserted in connection with adenoidectomy; and group 3, all children in whom tympanostomy had been performed one or more times previously. Middle ear effusion was aspirated from 2392 ears (48%); 67.6% of all ears were negative for bacteria and 22.1% of the ears with effusion grew pathogenic bacteria. S. pneumoniae was the most frequently cultured pathogen among the 6 to 12 month olds in group 1, but in groups 2 and 3 H. influenzae occurred more frequently than S. pneumoniae. Beta-lactamase-producing strains of pathogenic bacteria were formed in only 4% of all ears with effusion: H. influenzae in 1.2% and B. catarrhalis in 2.8%. Compared with figures from the United states, the frequency of beta-lactamase-producing strains is low in the present series. This is probably explained by differences in antimicrobial treatment practices; in Finland and the Scandinavian countries, penicillin V is the primary drug for acute otitis media. In light of present results, it seems well-suited for treatment of otitis media in young children.     

Head shape and abnormal appearance of tympanic membranes

We examined 187 males to evaluate the hypothesis that short-headed persons more often have otitis media than long-headed persons. The subjects were seen as part of routine health screening before attending recreational summer camp. The photographic appearance of each tympanic membrane was judged on two separate occasions by an otolaryngologist who categorized them as "normal", "abnormal", or "cannot determine". The repeatability of the categorizations was fair: kappa = 0.44. Only the tympanic membranes categorized identically twice were used for data analysis. The left-right symmetry of the tympanic membrane categorizations was fair: correlation coefficient phi = 0.42. Subjects categorized as having bilaterally normal tympanic membranes were considered to have not had previous otitis media (N = 95). In contrast, subjects categorized as having at least one abnormal tympanic membrane were considered to have had previous otitis media (N = 13). Head length and width, measured by calipers, and the cephalic index (width divided by length) x 100 were determined for each person. On the average, the cephalic index of the normal subjects was lower than that for the subjects with otitis media (t = 3.06, p less than 0.005). These data support the suggestions of Pautow (1925) and Worley et al. (1987): dolichocephalic persons have otitis media less often than do brachycephalic persons. Though this association is not useful in clinical care of the individual patient, it may be considered a weak external manifestation of the different cranial base and eustachian tube anatomy found in persons with otitis media.     

Ventilation tubes and persisting tympanic membrane perforations.

Surgical management of otitis media with effusion and recurrent acute otitis media includes myringotomy and the use of ventilation tubes. Since this procedure was reintroduced by Armstrong in 1954, it has become one of the most commonly performed operations in otolaryngology. In most series perforation of the tympanic membrane in some patients has been reported after spontaneous extrusion or removal of the tympanostomy tubes. We present a retrospective review designed to examine the incidence of persisting perforations of the tympanic membrane in our series of 2604 operated ears. The study also identifies and analyzes the variables and the contributing risk factors. Perforations occurred in 3.06% of the ears: with a greater incidence in children younger than 5 years, when the indication was recurrent purulent otitis media, with the use of long-term Goode T tubes, in cases with repeated insertions of ventilation tubes, and in cases in which postoperative otorrhea was frequent.     

Allergy increases susceptibility to otitis media with effusion in a rat model

To investigate the possible relationship between allergy and otitis media with effusion (OME), we investigated the hypothesis that allergen presentation to the middle ear causes functional disruption of the eustachian tube predisposing to the development of OME. Thirteen of 19 Brown-Norway rats were sensitized to ovalbumin, and the remaining 6 served as nonallergic controls. To mimic subclinical exposure to allergen, we transtympanically injected ovalbumin at a dose (0.01 mg) that produced no changes detectable by otologic examination. Next, both allergic and nonallergic rats were exposed to transtympanic injection of either low-dose (10 μg/mL) or high-dose (100 μg/mL) lipopolysaccharide to simulate bacterial exposure. The allergic rats were found to have larger middle ear effusions when exposed to high-dose lipopolysaccharide as compared with the nonallergic controls. This response could be inhibited by diphenhydramine. We conclude that allergen presentation to the middle ear of allergic rats causes eustachian tube dysfunction predisposing to OME. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;121:687-92.)     

Tympanostomy tubes for prevention of purulent otitis media

A recently developed animal model was used to study the effect of tympanostomy tubes (TTs) on the spontaneous development of purulent otitis media. In 35 rats with soft-palate clefts a TT was inserted into the right tympanic membrane. The left ear was left intact. Serous effusion occurred in the attic space within 2 days after surgery, whether or not the middle ear cavity (MEC) was artificially ventilated. Between days 7 and 21 the intact-ear MEC was gradually filled with effusion material that turned purulent. Effusion material did not develop in the mesotympanum and hypotympanum of the intubated ears. Microbiologic examination of the effusion material showed a microflora similar to that in the nasopharynx. Ventilation through a TT reduced the number of colonized MECs (4 vs. 10) on day 21. In the individual culture-positive MEC with a TT there were fewer colonies than in the corresponding ear without a TT. These results support the contention that a TT may prevent the development of purulent otitis media.     

Allergy increases susceptibility to otitis media with effusion in a rat model. Second place--Resident Clinical Science Award 1998.

To investigate the possible relationship between allergy and otitis media with effusion (OME), we investigated the hypothesis that allergen presentation to the middle ear causes functional disruption of the eustachian tube predisposing to the development of OME. Thirteen of 19 Brown-Norway rats were sensitized to ovalbumin, and the remaining 6 served as nonallergic controls. To mimic subclinical exposure to allergen, we transtympanically injected ovalbumin at a dose (0.01 mg) that produced no changes detectable by otologic examination. Next, both allergic and nonallergic rats were exposed to transtympanic injection of either low-dose (10 microg/mL) or high-dose (100 microg/mL) lipopolysaccharide to simulate bacterial exposure. The allergic rats were found to have larger middle ear effusions when exposed to high-dose lipopolysaccharide as compared with the nonallergic controls. This response could be inhibited by diphenhydramine. We conclude that allergen presentation to the middle ear of allergic rats causes eustachian tube dysfunction predisposing to OME.     

Surfactant in middle ear effusions

Evidence from animal studies suggests that substances that lower surface tension are present in the middle ear cleft, where they may facilitate opening of the eustachian tube. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not surface-tension-lowering substances are present in middle ear effusions. Aspirates from children and adults with secretory otitis media--both serous otitis media and mucoid otitis media--were analyzed by means of two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography. Phospholipids, the major components of pulmonary surfactant, were present in appreciable quantities in all aspirates. Differences in total phosphate content and phospholipid composition were found when effusions from adults and children were compared.     

In vivo resistance to bacterial biofilm formation on tympanostomy tubes as a function of tube material.

Adherent bacterial biofilms have been implicated in the irreversible contamination of implanted medical devices. We evaluated the resistance of various tympanostomy (pressure equalization [PE]) tube materials to biofilm formation using an in vivo model. PE tubes of silicone, silver oxide-impregnated silicone, fluoroplastic, silver oxide-impregnated fluoroplastic, and ion-bombarded silicone were inserted into the tympanic membranes of 18 Hartley guinea pigs. Staphylococcus aureus was then inoculated into the middle ears. An additional 8 guinea pigs were used as controls; the PE tubes were inserted without middle ear inoculation. All PE tubes were removed on day 10 and analyzed for bacterial contamination using culture, immunofluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All infected ears developed otitis media with otorrhea, but none of the animal control ears drained. Fluorescence imaging of the animal control tubes showed large cellular components consistent with inflammation. The infected tubes showed heavy DNA fluorescence consistent with bacteria and inflammatory cells. All animal control tubes except the ion-bombarded silicone tubes showed adherent inflammatory film on SEM. Also, all tubes placed in infected ears except the ion-bombarded silicone tubes showed adherent bacterial and inflammatory films on SEM. Nonadherent surface properties such as the ion-bombarded silicone may be helpful in preventing chronic PE tube contamination.     

Ventilation tubes and prophylactic antibiotic eardrops.

Insertion of ventilation tubes has successfully remedied chronic otitis media with effusion in millions of children, but the procedure has been complicated by secondary infections and otorrhea in as many as 34% of the cases. Because infection at the time of surgery was suspected as the primary cause of these postoperative complications, short-term prophylaxis with antibiotic eardrops was proposed for averting secondary infections. To evaluate this hypothesis, we conducted a 6-month prospective study in which 200 children had bilateral tube insertions. Antibiotic eardrops were administered to patients' right ears intraoperatively and for 3 days after surgery; left ears received no eardrops and served as controls. The prophylactic strategy did not significantly decrease the incidence of postoperative otorrhea in treated right ears compared with controls.     

Effect of a large-sized silicone sheet upon recovery of mastoid aeration after mastoidectomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of our large-sized silicone sheet upon postoperative recovery of mastoid aeration in ears after surgery including mastoidectomy and soft-wall reconstruction (SWR). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective chart review in a tertiary care center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Recovery of mastoid aeration was assessed by CT 4 to 12 months after surgery on 72 ears (69 patients), in which the silicone sheet covering from the eustachian tube (ET) to the mastoid was placed after SWR procedure with mastoidectomy were done for their chronic otitis media. Results were compared with those with a small silicone sheet. RESULTS: Recovery of mastoid aeration was significantly better in the large-silicone-sheet group than in the small-silicone-sheet group (chi(2) value = 11.7146, P = 0.0006). CONCLUSION: This preliminary study suggested that our large-sized silicone sheet may be effective for postoperative recovery of mastoid aeration even in ears operated with SWR procedure.     

90度成人鼻内镜下口腔进路低温等离子消融治疗腺样体肥大

目的通过应用90度成人鼻窦内窥镜下口腔进路低温等离子消融腺样体,探索治疗腺样体肥大的最佳途径。方法选择2009年1月至2011年10月确诊为腺样体肥大者368例,应用鼻内镜下低温等离子切除腺样体,对伴有分泌性中耳炎者行鼓膜穿刺术。结果368例明确诊断为腺样体肥大的患儿应用90度成人鼻窦内窥镜下口腔进路低温等离子消融配合术后鼻腔喷入雷诺考特治疗效果显著,术后没有明显疼痛和出血,基本不影响进食,鼻塞、张口呼吸等症状消失。同期对31例37耳伴有分泌性中耳炎者行鼓膜穿刺术治疗后症状消除,听力得到改善,随访1～6个月,总有效率97．2％。结论90度成人鼻窦内窥镜下口腔进路低温等离子消融腺样体是治疗腺样体肥大的有效途径,同时鼓膜穿刺可一次性将小儿分泌性中耳炎治愈,有效防止复发。     

Serous otitis media and paranasopharyngeal extension of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Two hundred thirty-two patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were evaluated for serous otitis media (SOM) at diagnosis. The diagnosis of SOM required the detection of effusion behind the tympanic membrane in association of air-bone gap of 10 dB or more in pure tone audiogram. These patients were also evaluated by computed tomography for the degree of tumor extension. By stepwise logistic regression analysis, the degree of paranasopharyngeal extension of tumor, erosion of petrous temporal bone, and the obliteration of pharyngeal recess were significantly related to the development of SOM, but sex and age were not. The findings of computed tomography may influence the plan of management for SOM in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma at diagnosis.     

Chronic tympanic membrane perforation: a better animal model is needed

Developments in the treatment of chronic tympanic membrane perforation have been hindered by the lack of an ideal animal model. It is not appropriate to test such treatments on acute perforations as the majority of these heal spontaneously. An ideal animal model would be one that most closely resembles the human clinical situation. It should be inexpensive, readily available, and easy to create. There have been a number of attempts to create a chronic tympanic membrane perforation model with limited success. All published attempts at chronic tympanic membrane perforations have been reviewed and the limitations of each model are discussed. A number of areas for research exist for further developing a chronic tympanic membrane perforation model. These areas include a perforation model in the presence of bacteria and eustachian tube dysfunction. Understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms of chronic otitis media and potential treatments will also be useful.     

Laser Myringotomy (L-Myringotomy) and Ventilating Tubes: A Preliminary Comparative Study

A prospective comparative study was done to assess the validity of laser myringotomy (L-myringotomy) when compared to the insertion of ventilating tubes (VT). In 23 children with chronic otitis media with effusion, a VT was inserted in the left ear while a laser myringotomy was performed in the right ear by using the CO₂ Sharplan 1030 laser. After a six month follow-up conducted during the winter months, the results with the laser myringotomy were equal to those in the left ear with the VT. During the follow-up period, three ears required additional laser myringotomy either for early closure or because of otitis media and the accumulation of effusion in the middle ear cavity. Nevertheless, the use of laser has the advantage that there is no foreign body in the ear, the tympanic membrane is closed after four to seven weeks, and since the procedure is very short, the time for anaesthesia is minimal. Paper received 17 November 1997; accepted after revision 13 May 1998.