Hazards of Ventilation Tubes

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Abstract
Ventilation tubes are not the treatment of choice in serous otitis media. Conservative measures should be tried first, with simple myringotomy for the evacuation of thick, rubbery fluids. Autoinflation, well tolerated by most children above 3 years of age, should be practiced daily for months to years, under periodic check-ups. Tube insertion should be reserved for younger children, as well as for recurrent and non-responsive cases. These are the cases in which a calculated risk is worth taking, as otherwise the patient is on an ineffective treatment. In those hard-to-manage ears, tubes seem to be justified, as their potential hazards are apparently outnumbered by the complication of untreated or maltreated serous otitis media.

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