Spontaneous Course of Secretory Otitis and Changes of the Eardrum

Abstract

\s=b\In 222 nonselected, otherwise healthy children, seven repetitive tympanometric screenings were performed from ages 4 to 7 years. At the last three screenings, otomicroscopy was performed and the changes of the eardrum were analyzed. At age five years 24%, at age six years 37%, and at age seven years 39% of all 444 ears had changes of the eardrum, either attic retractions of varying degrees, atrophy, and/or tympanosclerosis of the pars tensa.There was a notable correlation between eardrum abnormality, the tympanometric profile, and the frequency of acute otitis media. Some unstability of the eardrum abnormality occurred over the years, especially of attic retractions and tympanosclerosis. Treatment, especially by grommets, probably cannot prevent ear\x=req-\ drum abnormality. (Arch Otolaryngol 1984;110:281-289)

A Review: Expression of Aquaporins in Otitis Media

“…In the ME and ET, AQP1 is distributed on the surfaces of capillary endothelial cells and subepithelial fibroblasts, which are separated from the ME by the basement membrane [ 33 ]. This finding was consistent with results showing the presence of AQP1 in capillaries of various tissues, indicating that AQP1 regulates water transport between blood and feeder cells of these tissues [ 46 ]. In addition, immunomorphologic studies confirmed that AQP1 is expressed in fibroblasts of the ME [ 39 ] and inner ear [ 47 ], and that these fibroblasts maintain fluid transport and ion gradients.…”

Myringotomy Versus Ventilation Tubes in Secretory Otitis Media

“…As an example, we found that ears treated repeatedly demonstrated more pathology (Fig. 1), which has also been reported by other authors (10,23). This may, however, also be a sequel of more severe disease (13), which is the major reason for focusing our attention on the patients only receiving the initial treatment.…”

Eustachian tube function and tympanic membrane findings after chronic secretory otitis media

“…The longer the duration of SOM in the child and/or the higher the negative ME pressure, the greater part of the tympanic membrane had pathologic changes; the best correlation being seen with attic retractions and the poorest correlation with myringosclerosis [20]. In our study, the incidence of tympanic membrane pathology in the SOM group was high (76%).…”