MYRINGOTOMY FOR THE TREATMENT OF OTITIS MEDIA WITH EFFUSION; A COMPARISON IN THE OUTCOME WITH AND WITHOUT GROMMET INSERTION

Objective: To compare the outcome of myringotomy with and without grommet insertion in the patients of otitis media with effusion in terms of improvement of hearing in a one-month follow-up. Study Design: Quasi experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Pakistan Airforce Hospital Jacobabad and Combined Military Hospital Lahore Pakistan, from Jan to Dec 2020. Methodology: A total of 28 patients aged 4-12 years diagnosed to have conductive hearing loss due to otitis media with effusion not responding to medical treatment were included. Non probability convenience sampling was done. Children aged less than 4 years and above 12 years were not included in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups of 14 patients each using lottery method. Group A underwent myringotomy alone whereas group B underwent myringotomy with grommet insertion. Patients in both groups also underwent adenoidectomy on case-to-case basis. Both groups were compared in terms of improvement in hearing post operatively in a one-month follow-up. Results: There was statistically significant reduction in air bone gap at the end of follow up period as compared to preoperative air bone gap in group B (p=0.007). In group A there was statistically significant reduction in air bone gap at one week (p=0.002) however this improvement was not maintained at 4 weeks (p=0.386). Conclusion: Myringotomy with grommet insertion had significantly more patients with improved hearing as compared to myringotomy alone after one month.