The Rate of General Anesthesia after Laser Tympanostomy with Ventilation Tube Insertion: A Prospective Study

Ro, Kye Youn; Lee, Chang Ho; Kang, Chang Woo

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate if laser tympanostomy (LT) flexibly combined with ventilation tube insertion(VT) would result in the decreased rate of general anesthesia. This approach (LT+VT) would be an initial surgical approach for children with otitis media with effusion (OME).
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
We made a prospective study that enrolled all the children with bilateral otitis media with effusion (OME) eligible for surgical intervention from January 2003 to December 2003, and 12 months postoperative follow-up. Laser tympanostomy under topical anesthesia was followed by VT insertion in the cooperative children. The success of treatment was defined as VT insertion under topical anesthesia or management of MEE without general anesthesia for 12 months.
RESULTS
79 children with bilateral OME were included. Overall cooperation to bilateral laser tympanostomy was 87%. Further cooperation to 1st VT was possible in 73% and 2nd VT in 45%. Overall efficacy of LT+VT was 91%. VT insertion on the cooperative children was presumed to increase the efficacy of laser tympanostomy by 24%. LT with VT might eliminate 80% of general anesthesia and the rate of G/A was 20% in our hospital. The rate of general anesthesia decreased to 9% when the child tolerated LT on both ears and to only 3% when the child tolerated at least one VT.
CONCLUSION
LT with VT insertion might help to maintain high cooperation rate (87%), improved efficacy (91%), and therefore could reduce the rate of general anesthesia. LT+VT used under topical anesthesia might be an initial surgical approach for all OME children if the surgeon is willing to.