[Muco-serous otitis media]

Abstract

Typical symptoms of the otitis media with effusion (OME)--synonym (secretory otitis media--SOM)--are fluid (serous/mucoid) in the middle ear space and a conductive hearing loss. Its most incidence can be found in infants and kids, during this period often bilaterally, but also in adolescents and adults. Etiopathological factors are infections of the upper respiratory tract, obstructing adenoids, tumors of the nasopharynx, cleft palate patients, allergological and immunological influences. As most important anatomical factor ventilation problems, respectively insufficiency of drainage of the eustachian tube is considered. Especially in childhood, OME reveals high spontaneous remission. Thus in many cases is no need for treatment. Persists OME over a longer period (some months) or in patients with recurrent disease, therapy is necessary: decongestant nasal drops, local heat during concomitant upper air way infections, long term application of low dose antibiotics, adenoidectomy with myringotomy, or insertion of ventilating tubes.