Myringotomy 1886. The vinyl tube used today was introduced by Beverley Armstrong in 1954. There are numerous indications for tympanostomy in the pediatric age group, the most frequent including chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) which is unresponsive to antibiotics, and recurrent otitis media. Adult indications differ somewhat and include Eustachian tube dysfunction with recurrent signs and symptoms, including fluctuating hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus, and a severe retraction pocket in the tympanic membrane. Recurrent episodes of barotrauma, especially with flying, diving, or hyperbaric chamber treatment, may merit consideration. Myringotomy is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. General anesthesia is preferred in
Myringotomy the incidence of post-operative otorrhea, tube blockage, or extrusion. Evidence suggests that tympanostomy tubes only offer a short-term hearing improvement in children with simple OME who have no other serious medical problems. No effect on speech and language development has yet been shown. A retrospective study of success rates in 96 adults and 130 children with otitis media treated with CO laser myringotomy showed about a 50% cure rate at six months in both groups. To date, there have been no published systematic reviews. Balloon dilation eustachian tuboplasty (BDET), a new treatment, has proven to be effective in treating OME