Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part A (2024)

The present prospective study was carried out in the Department of Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery, BSMMU, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January to June 2022. Sixty (60) consecutive patients diagnosed as cases of OME, who attended the Outpatient Department and/or were admitted in the ward irrespective of age, sex and socioeconomic status formed the study group. They were evaluated for the clinical profile, laboratory findings and results of medical and surgical managements. Total 60 patients of OME were included in the present study. The age of the patients ranged from 4 years to 50 years. Majority of the patients (53.3% of the cases) were between 5 and 8 years of age. The youngest age was 4 years and the oldest 50 years of age. Males outnumbered females at a ratio of 3:2 (males=36, females=24). Out of the 60 cases, 27 cases (45%) were treated medically and 33 (55%) were treated surgically. Grommet insertion was done in 22 cases (36.6%), myringotomy only in 8 patients (13.5%) and adenotonsillectomy in 3 young patients (5%). Hearing loss was the main complaint in all the cases; 25 cases (41.6%) complained of hearing loss alone, 22 (36.6%) complained of hearing loss with tinnitus, 11 cases (18.3%) with hearing loss and otalgia and 2 patients (3.3%) complained of all the above three symptoms. Minimal hearing loss (16-25 dB) was present in 10 patients (16.6%), mild hearing loss (26-40 dB) in 29 cases (48.3%) and moderate hearing loss (41 to 55 dB) in 21 patients (35.1%). Out of the 27 patients treated medically, 17 patients (62.9%) showed clinical improvement and 10 patients (37.1%) showed no change. In the surgically treated group (33 patients), 29 patients (87.8%) showed good response and 4 cases did not have any improvement. Therefore, surgical treatment is preferred in those cases refractory to medical therapy. Medical and surgical treatments are employed in the management of OME. Surgical treatment is preferred in those cases refractory to medical therapy. Early diagnosis and timely intervention are important as the disease tends to persist from months to years leading to multiple hospital visits, which in turn leads to loss of school days for the children and undue apprehension of the parents.