title: Is aspiration necessary before tympanostomy tube insertion?
abstract: Aspiration of middle ear fluid after myringotomy is performed routinely, although investigators imply a cause-and-effect relationship between suction noise and acoustic trauma. This prospective randomized study investigated if aspiration was necessary. Fifty-one myringotomies and 50 tympanostomy tube insertions were performed on 27 patients. A suction instrument was utilized in 24 ears and was not used in 27 ears. In a follow-up period, no difference was observed between the two groups. The authors did not establish that aspiration is indeed harmful, but tympanostomy tube insertion can be performed without suctioning middle ear effusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Yüzüncü Yil, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Egeli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiriş
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000379:methods*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013396:Suction; D016896:Treatment Outcome