The effect of topical adrenaline on the development of myringosclerosis after tympanostomy tube insertion.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of topical adrenaline application after myringotomy and before tympanostomy tube placement on the development of myringosclerosis.

STUDY

DESIGN

A prospective, randomized, double-blind study, with each patient acting as his or her own control. Ethical approval and full parental consent were obtained.

SETTING

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in a university teaching hospital.

PATIENTS: Fifty children satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria for first-time tympanostomy tube insertion. THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION: Myringotomy followed by adrenaline application to incision before tympanostomy tube insertion. Control contralateral ear received saline application after myringotomy. Follow-up examination was done 14 to 21 days after surgery and again after 1 year by a single blinded surgeon.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Comparison of myringosclerosis between adrenaline-treated ears and matched control ears.

RESULTS

No difference was found in early morbidity between the two groups of ears. Myringosclerosis after 1 year was not found to have been significantly affected by adrenaline application (p = 0.2)

CONCLUSION

The use of adrenaline on the myringotomy site before tympanostomy tube placement was not found to influence early postoperative morbidity or the later development of myringosclerosis.