The Effects of Myringotomy and Ventilation Tube Insertion on the Hearing Level of the Patients with Serous Otitis Media Referring to 5th Azar Hospital in Gorgan, Iran (1999-2011)

Background and objective: The eustachian tube (pharyngotympanic tube) connects the middle ear cavity to the nasopharynx, and its dysfunction leads to the accumulation of fluids in the middle ear and hearing loss. In such cases, irresponsiveness to pharmaceutical treatments urges myringotomy combined with ventilation tube insertion. Given the importance of the operation outcomes, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of myringotomy and grafting on the patients with chronic serous otitis media (SOM) referring to 5th Azar Hospital in Gorgan, Iran during 1999-2011. Material And Method This descriptive-analytical research was performed by reviewing the medical records of patients with SOM who underwent myringotomy and grafting and met the inclusion criteria. After the surgery, the patients were followed-up by the researcher, and those with available medical records who were followed-up for 1.5 years were enrolled in the study. The incomplete files were completed using the available documents in the medical statistics unit. The data of 94 patients were collected and analyzed in SPSS version 18. Result: In total, 94 patients were assessed, including 50 males (53.2%) and 44 females (46.8%). Among 174 patients, 80 and 14 cases had bilateral and unilateral involvement, respectively. The highest frequency of the disease was observed in the age range of 5-10 years (n=51; 54.2%), and adenotonsillectomy was the most common concurrent surgery (n=83; 88.3%). After 18 months, 31 patients (32%) experienced hearing loss recurrence, four of whom had tympanic membrane perforation, four had otorrhea, and one had recurring SOM. In addition, seven out of 31 patients with hearing loss had severe allergies, while three, one, and one cases had a cleft palate, nasopharyngeal cancer, and cystic fibrosis, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results, the follow-up of the patients with SOM is essential, especially in the cases with a known underlying cause, where further care is required due to the possibility of recurrence.