Significance of Tympanometry in Children with Acute Otitis Media (AOM): a Prospective Study

Tymanometry is the most commonly used aspect of impedance audiometry and is particularly useful in evaluating children with otitis media with effusion. Although its application in diagnosis of AOM is not routinely performed, this study was carried out to demonstrate the usefulness of performing the typmanometry test in children with AOM and to regard it as a prognostic index in accordance to its results by identifying which of those patients were at a great risk of treatment failure.Aim of the study: To analyze the prognostic significance of tympanometry by assessing its ability to identify the ratio of children with AOM who are at great risk of treatment failure.Patients and methods: This is a prospective study of 80 pediatric patients with recent attacks of acute otitis media attending the ENT clinic of Al-Sader medical city in Najaf during one year period from 1-6-2014 to 1-6-2015. The diagnosis of the AOM was done based on the presence of the clinical signs and symptoms of this disease. The patients had been sent for tympanometry and the results of tympanogram had been documented. All the patients treated in regard of the AOM by giving them antibiotics in the form of oral suspension for 14 days and their signs and symptoms assessed again at the end of treatment period.Data analysis: The statistical calculations were carried out using chi-square test. The p value 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Conclusion: By observing the difference in treatment duration and recovery period among the different types of tympanometry in children suffering from AOM, it is concluded that tympanometry of children with AOM is able to provide a prognostic information regarding treatment failure. Recommendations: It is recommended to perform the tymapanometry routinely in all children suffering from an attack of AOM as its type will predict the duration of antibiotics treatment and this will avoid the treatment failure resulting from early discontinuation of antibiotics in high risk children with abnormal tympanometric patterns.