Postoperative Otorrhea as a Predictor of Early Ventilation Tube Extrusion in Children.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical and surgical factors influencing ventilation tube (VT) extrusion time in pediatric patients, using both univariate and multivariate analyses.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 227 pediatric patients (128 males, 99 females; mean age 6.46±2.27 years) who underwent VT insertion, with or without adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy, between January 2021 and January 2024. Demographic data, surgical indication, middle ear effusion type, and presence of postoperative otorrhea were recorded. Extrusion time for each ear was compared using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Variables with p<0.20 were included in multiple linear regression analyses to identify independent predictors of extrusion time.

RESULTS

The mean extrusion time was 8.41±3.01 months for the right ear and 8.28±2.81 months for the left ear. Age, sex, surgery type, and effusion type were not significantly associated with extrusion time. Postoperative otorrhea was significantly related to shorter extrusion in both ears (right: -4.77 months, p<0.001; left: -4.08 months, p=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative otorrhea and recurrent otitis media were associated with shorter VT retention, whereas demographic factors and concurrent adenoidectomy/tonsillectomy had no effect. Closer follow-up could be beneficial in patients with these risk factors to detect early extrusion and potential disease recurrence.