title: Comparison of characteristics of titanium and fluoroplastic ventilation tubes in adults with healthy middle ears.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most clinical studies on adverse effects and extrusion rates of tympanostomy tubes have been conducted with children undergoing treatment because of recurrent acute otitis media or chronic otitis media with effusion. Little is known, however, about post tympanostomy complications and extrusion rates in healthy middle ears. In this study, we analyzed extrusion rates and adverse effects of fluoroplastic, titanium, and gold ventilation tubes of different sizes in adult patients with Ménière's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical record study including 108 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Otorrhea occurred in 18% of fluoroplastic tubes but only 4% of titanium tubes. Permanent occlusion was observed in 22% of fluorplastic but only 4% of titanium tubes. No statistical difference was seen for transient dysfunction and tube extrusion rates. Granulations and chronic perforations were not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low rate of infections and permanent occlusions for titanium tubes as well as the lack of granulations and chronic perforations for all tubes might be due to the fact that our patients were adults with healthy middle ears. Furthermore, a better biocompatibility of titanium in the middle ear compared with gold or synthetic materials has been observed for protheses used to rebuild the sound conductive apparatus of the middle ear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Titanium tubes might be the better choice for adult patients lacking Eustachian tube dysfunction and otitis media with effusion. Ventilation tubes in adults with healthy middle ears seem to be less associated with adverse effects compared with ventilation tubes in children with otitis media with effusion or recurrent otitis media.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. Ulrich.Kisser@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Kisser
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Gürkov
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Louza
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Schrötzlmair
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Adderson-Kisser
authors: Eike
authors: E
authors: Krause
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000628:therapy; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000601:surgery; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006046:Gold; D014025:Titanium