The efficacy of auto-inflation in children with chronic otitis media with effusion.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the efficacy of auto-inflation in children with chronic otitis media with effusion.

METHOD: Clinical data of 81 children (157 ears) with chronic otitis media with effusion treated in our hospital from December 2023 to November 2024 were collected. There are 37 males and 44 females, aged between 3.67 and 14.42 years old, with an average of 7.37 ± 2.68 years old. 71 cases complained of otalgia, 8 cases of hearing loss, 1 case of ear fullness, and 1 case of recurrent otitis media after grommet insertion. All patients underwent 3 months of conservative treatment.

RESULT: The changes in hearing thresholds before and after auto-inflation exhibited distinct frequency-specific characteristics, with the lowest hearing loss observed at 2000 Hz, which was significantly lower than that at 1000 Hz and 4000 Hz (P < 0.05, statistically significant difference). The pure-tone audiometry of pre-treatment evaluation (P-TE) was 26.61 ± 11.553 dB. At 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and termination of treatment, the pure-tone audiometry were 15.63 ± 10.308, 14.37 ± 5.508, 16.62 ± 13.273, 12.11 ± 7.315, 13.82 ± 8.520 dB, respectively. Compared with P-TE, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The P-value was <0.05, indicating statistically significant differences. For P-TE, 78.344 % (123/157) of patients exhibited a Type B tympanogram. At 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and at the terminating evaluation (TE), the proportions were 22.472 % (20/89), 21.533 % (14/65), 14.815 % (8/54), 3.448 % (1/20), and 11.765 % (18/153), respectively. Compared with P-TE, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After 12 weeks of standardized treatment, 22.93 % (36/157) of otitis media cases achieved complete resolution, 74.52 % (117/157) showed clinical improvement, and 2.55 % (4/157) had no therapeutic response. Otalgia was the only adverse reaction (3.7 %, 3/81) and can be relieved.

CONCLUSIONS

Auto-inflation is effective in children with COME, with rapid results and minimal adverse reactions.