title: Care of the child with tympanostomy tubes.
abstract: More than two million tympanotomy tubes are placed annually in the United States, making this operation the most common performed on children. This article provides an overview of the applications of tympanotomy tubes for the treatment for otitis media in childhood. The indications for tube placement are discussed; a visual guide for managing children with tympanostomy tubes is presented; an approach to dealing with tube complications is outlined; and guidelines for referral to a pediatric otolaryngologist are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Temple University School of Medicine; Temple Pediatric Otolaryngology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isaacson
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D018579:Patient Selection; D012008:Recurrence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016896:Treatment Outcome