[Therapeutic outcome and complication management of grommet insertion for radiotherapy induced otitis media with effusion].

Objective

To evaluate the therapeutic outcome and complication of grommet insertion for cancer patients in head and neck suffering from otitis media with effusion following radiotherapy. Method:Retrospectively analyze the clinical data of grommet insertion in patients with head and neck cancer suffering from otitis media with effusion following radiotherapy. Result:Fifty-five ears in 33 cases of cancer patients in head and neck with otitis media with effusion following radiotherapy had been performed grommet insertion. All patients were revisited seven days after operation, the phonetic frequency hearing in 55 ears had been improved in various degrees, and on average, it was increased 20.79 dB compared to that prior to the procedure. Sensation of the ear fullness had been disappeared in all the ears; the symptoms of tinnitus and headache were relieved in 80% of the patients. However, postoperative complications occurred in 67.3%（37/55） of the ears, including: ventilation tube falling out in 11（20%） ears, all of which had been re-catheterized; otorrhea in 10（18.2%） ears, which were healed after antibiotic treatment; Ventilation tube occlusion in 9（16.4%） ears, and they were recanalized after 5% sodium bicarbonate ear drops treatment; tympanic membrane retraction in 4（7.3%） ears, which were restored after eustachian tube blowing; eardrum perforation in 2（3.6%） ears without further treatment; the ventilation tube sliding into the tympanic cavity in 1（1.8%） ear, which was removed by surgery. The grommet was inserted more than twice in 31（56.4%） ears because of complications or recurrence of symptoms after grommet was removed.

Conclusion

The grommet insertion is used for the treatment of radiotherapy-induced otitis media with effusion, which can improve the hearing and relieve the discomfort symptoms in ear in such patients. However, the incidence of postoperative complications is high and should be actively prevented to improve the therapeutic effect.