Assessment of Surgical Success Rate and Acoustic Test Findings in Children after Tympanostomy Tube Insertion

Otoacoustic emissions are low density sounds produced from intact cochlea measureable in the presence of an intact conduction structure. The goal of this study was to assess the surgical success rate after tympanostomy tube insertion by Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAE) as methods of evaluation of postoperative hearing.

A descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 130 patients with OME. Audiometrical tests included TEOAE, DPOAE that were performed before, one month and three months after surgery on patients and results were compared. Prior to surgery, TEOAE and DPOAE responses were not recordable in any of the patients, whereas after surgery, the responses were significant. OAE tests can be used as objective, simple tests in children, especially in toddlers who are not able to cooperate in performing PTA before surgery. These tests can be also be used for follow up of patients for hearing loss improvement and resolvement of middle ear effusion.