Deafness resulting from Middle ear effusion

A collection of fluid in the middle ear or middle ear effusion (MEE) is a common cause of conductive hearing impairment.  It usually follows upper respiratory tract infections or Otitis Media or Barotrauma (result of pressure changes) which causes malfunction of the Eustachian tube.  The fluid in the middle ear may be thin, mucoid or mucopurulent.

This condition is more commonly seen in children than in adults. Enlarged adenoids is the commonest cause of tubal obstruction in children.  The disorder is more chronic in children with thick mucoid fluid being retained in the middle ear causing deafness.  More often than not this condition goes unnoticed in children and is one of the common causes of poor school performance.  Hearing loss, pressure, fulness and some discomfort in the ear are the usual symptoms of MEE.  In adults the fluid is usually a thin serous type that frequently resolves with medical treatment.  The diagnosis is confirmed by an audiometry and tympanometry.

Children are usually treated with antibiotics and decongestants.  If there is no improvement and a conductive hearing loss remains, a myringotomy (incision in the ear drum) with insertion of pressure equalizing tubes (tympanostomy tubes) is performed.  Adenoidectomy may also be required if the adenoids are found to be hypertrophied and obstructing the eustachian tube.