There are many synonyms for serous otitis media, such as otitis media with effusion or glue ear. Clinically, it refers to the cases of middle ear cavity with liquid accumulation and intact eardrum, which can be divided into children and adults according to age, as follows:

Serous Otitis Media in Children

Serous otitis media in children has a high incidence, which is predominant in children aged 3 to 6 years. It is often complicated by acute otitis media or upper respiratory tract infection. Other factors may be closely related to allergies, immune function problems, hypertrophy of proliferating glands, sinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux and eustachian tube dysfunction.

Symptoms

Hearing impairment usually occurs. If it occurs in both ears at the same time, the patient usually has difficulty concentrating, poor learning ability, sitting close to the TV, or turning the TV loudly.

Diagnostic Examination

Otoscope examination of eardrum, tympanogram and hearing examination have clinical reference value.

Therapy

For those initially diagnosed as serous otitis media, oral antibiotics are the main treatment. In addition, nasal and nasopharyngeal topical treatment is added. The course of treatment is 2 to 3 weeks, and can be extended if necessary.

However, if serous otitis media persists for more than 3 months, the middle ear ventilation tube should be placed for surgical treatment. The ventilation tube will fall off automatically within 3 to 18 months.

In order to avoid the recurrence of serous otitis media, adenoidectomy should be performed in patients with hypertrophy or recurrence of nasopharyngeal adenoid tissue.

Etiology and Treatment

• Upper respiratory tract infections: most of serous otitis media in adults occur after severe upper respiratory tract infections. In addition to antibiotic treatment, local treatment of nasal cavity and sinuses must be given simultaneously.
• If the symptoms are still not eliminated after 1 to 2 weeks of treatment, acupuncture and aspiration can be performed infra-anterior or infra-center to the eardrum, and most cases will return to normal.
• Barotrauma: it is caused by barometric pressure after taking a flight, also known as barotitis media. Nasopharyngeal eustachian tube ventilation or tympanic membrane puncture can be used for the treatment, and the prognosis is mostly good.
• Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Nasopharyngeal neoplasms can cause dysfunction of the eustachian tube leading to unilateral serous otitis media, so it is necessary to check the nasopharyngeal site for abnormalities when serous otitis media is found in adults. In addition, nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients are prone to refractory serous otitis media after radiotherapy.

Repeated tympanic membrane acupuncture and suction should be the main therapy or tympanostomy tube implantation can be attempted, but it is easy to lead to the sequelae of persistent otorrhea.