Update on Otitis Media with Effusion: Bibliographic Review

Abstract

Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is a very frequent pathology in the pediatric population, being the main cause of conductive hypoacousia in this age group. Screening to a healthy population has not thrown clinically relevant benefits wherefore its application is not recommended. Given the high rate of spontaneous resolution, the majority of the OME will only require an expectant conduct through periodical controls, without need of medicines or surgery. There is a minority group of patients that will require surgery, which will depend on the evolution period, being part of the high risk group, presence of hypoacousia, presence of language or cognitive alterations, or suspicion of structural alterations, among others. In this group of patients, tympanic puncture grommet insertion is the first election surgery. Adenoidectomy must be made in OME who had previously been subject to tympanum ventilation tubes installation.