Abstract:Otitis Media (OM) is an inflammation of the middle ear (ME) that is the most commonly diagnosed childhood illness and the cost of treating OM has been estimated at four billion dollars annually. [1] The onset of OM is typically due to bacterial/viral infections that cause tissue swelling, rapid ME gas exchange and painful sub-ambient ME pressures. Normally, periodic openings of the ET are used to relieve ME pressures. However, the up-regulation of various adhesion proteins within the ET lumen make it difficult… Show more
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.