Predictors of tympanostomy tube extrusion time in otitis media with effusion

• Published in: Saudi medical journal Vol. 43; no. 7; pp. 730 - 734
• Main Authors: Alaraifi, Abdulaziz K, Alkhaldi, Abdullah S, Ababtain, Ibrahim S, Alsaab, Fahad A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Saudi Arabia Saudi Medical Journal 01-07-2022; Prince Sultan Military Medical City (PSMMC)
• Subjects: Bacterial infections; Care and treatment; Catheters; Child; Diagnosis; Ear; Ear diseases; Humans; Middle Ear Ventilation; Original; Otitis media with effusion; Otitis Media with Effusion - surgery; Otolaryngology; Patient outcomes; Pediatrics; Recurrence; Retrospective Studies; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Surgery; Surgical outcomes; Saudi Arabia; predictors; recurrence; tympanostomy; ventilation tube; otitis media; extrusion
• ISSN: 0379-5284; 1658-3175
• DOI: 10.15537/smj.2022.43.7.20220323

To investigate the impact and predictors of tympanostomy tube (TT) extrusion.
A retrospective study on 258 ears underwent TT insertion during 2016-2018 at King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients were followed for 36-48 months postoperatively to detect the recurrence rate. The sample was divided into 2 groups based on extrusion time and were compared to determine the predictors of TT extrusion.
Otitis media with effusion (OME) recurrence after TT insertion was detected in 28.7%. A shorter TT extrusion time was associated with a higher recurrence (p=0.002). Small TTs increased the probability of early TT extrusion (odds ratio = 5.144; 95% confidence interval: [1.602-16.519]).
More than one-fourth of the patients who underwent TT insertion for OME developed recurrence. Tympanostomy tube extrusion earlier than 12 months was associated with a higher recurrence rate. Small TTs increased the probability of early TT extrusion.