Results of middle ear ventilation with ‘Mangat’ T-tubes

Tympanostomy tube placement has been shown to be an effective treatment for recurrent acute otitis media and chronic otitis media with effusion. The Senior author, (K.S. Mangat), considered stiffness and the longer inner limbs of the Goode (Xomed) or Treace (Treace Medical) T-tubes as important factors in the high incidence of complications, and used smaller soft silicone, Mangat-tube (Xomed) with shorter inner limbs. A prospective study was undertaken over a five year period (July 1987–July 1992) which was a continuation of a previous retrospective study of Goode and Treace T-tubes (Mangat, K.S, Morrison, G.A.J., and Ganiwalla, T.M. (1993) Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. 25, 119–125). 322 Mangat tubes (M-tubes) were inserted in 191 patients with persistent otitis media with effusion. The peak ages for insertion were between 4 and 6 years. Spontaneous extrusion occurred in 240 ears (66.5%; 154 patients) at a mean time of 29.3 months. Of these, there were 60 perforations at three months follow-up (18.6%) which fell to 31 perforations after six months (9.6%). Surgical extraction of the M-tube was necessary in 82 ears (22.7%; 50 patients) following persistent otorrhoea or resolution of the condition. Otorrhoea, requiring treatment, was noted in 36 ears (11%). No association was found between the occurrence of infection and the incidence of perforation persisting after a year. There was a higher incidence of persistent perforation in those requiring surgical extraction. The overall persistent perforation rate of only 9.6% would appear to be less than that experienced with Goode or Treace T-tubes.