A 14-year prospective follow-up study of children treated early in life with tympanostomy tubes: Part 1: Clinical outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine 14-year otological outcomes in young children treated with early insertion of ventilation tubes (VTs) for recurrent acute otitis media or otitis media with effusion (OME).


METHODS
Prospective 14-year follow-up.


METHODS
Central Hospital of Central Finland, a tertiary care hospital. Patients Three hundred five consecutive infants and young children aged 5 to 16 months with otitis media were enrolled for early initial tympanostomy tube insertion. The final study group comprised 237 patients (77.7%) attending the 14-year checkup.


METHODS
At the 14-year checkups, abnormal otological findings were recorded and results compared with those of the 5-year checkups.


RESULTS
From 5 to 14 years' follow-up, the number of healed ears increased from 156 (65.8%) to 177 (74.7%), while the number healed of ears with abnormal outcomes decreased from 81 (34.2%) to 60 (25.3%). Of 156 healed ears, 142 (91.0%) remained healed, and 35 (43.2%) of 81 ears with abnormal outcomes healed. The proportion of abnormal outcomes was higher among ears with OME (P = .02) and with 3 or more VT insertions (P<.001). Repeated tympanostomy tube insertion was performed in 141 ears (59.5%), more often in those with OME (P = .003), and ear surgery was performed in 9 ears (3.8%), 8 with OME.


CONCLUSIONS
Early VT treatment is recommended for young children with recurrent acute otitis media or persistent OME. Parents should be informed of the long follow-up, of the possible need for repeated VT insertion, and of potential sequelae that sometimes necessitate surgical intervention. Patients healed after 5 years do not need further follow-up.
Valtonen
Hannu
H
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. hannu.valtonen@kuh.fi
Tuomilehto
Henri
H
Qvarnberg
Yrjö
Y
Nuutinen
Juhani
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome