Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-l4t7p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-19T22:50:29.801Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Post-surgical tympanostomy tube follow up with audiology: experience at the Freeman Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 November 2011

C R Davies-Husband ,
C Harker ,
T Davison  and
P D Yates
C R Davies-Husband*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, UK
C Harker
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
T Davison
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK
P D Yates
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr C R Davies-Husband, 2 Church Road, Bardwell, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 1AH, UK E-mail: camerondh@doctors.org.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Tympanostomy tube (grommet) insertion is a common procedure, with little guidance in the current literature regarding post-operative surveillance. Our institution implemented a protocol to follow up post-surgical grommet patients via audiology at six weeks.

Methods:

A retrospective audit of all patients less than 16 years old who had undergone grommet insertion during a three-month period.

Results:

A total of 149 patients had grommets inserted. Exclusion criteria left a cohort of 123 individuals; 82 (67 per cent) were followed up by audiology. Of these, 13 (11 per cent) did not attend follow up, and were discharged; 53 (43 per cent) were discharged from audiology with normal thresholds; and 16 (13 per cent) were referred back to a consultant. Therefore, the overall reduction in patients followed up by an otolaryngologist was 54 per cent.

Conclusion:

We recommend a six-week follow up with audiology following grommet insertion, allowing for referral back to ENT services in the event of related complications.

Keywords

Tympanostomy Tube InsertionGrommet InsertionAudiologyOtitis Media With EffusionMiddle Ear VentilationDuty To Recontact

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 126 , Issue 2 , February 2012 , pp. 142 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1Black, N. Surgery for glue ear – a modern epidemic. Lancet 1984;14:835–7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Schwartz, RH, Linde, RE. Iatrogenic implantation cholesteatoma: an unusual complication of tympanostomy tubes. J Pediatr 1979;94:432–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Gates, GA, Avery, C, Prihoda, TJ. Post-tympanostomy otorrhoea. Laryngoscope 1986;96:630–4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Spielmann, PM, McKee, H, Adamson, RM, Thiel, G, Schenk, D, Hussain, SS. Follow up after middle-ear ventilation tube insertion: what is needed and when? J Laryngol Otol 2008;122:580–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Uppal, S, Lee, C, Mielcarek, M, Banks, P, Mackay, E, Coatesworth, A. A comparison of patient satisfaction with conventional and nurse led outpatient follow-up after grommet insertion. Auris Nasus Larynx 2004;31:23–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Milford, CA, Vinayak, BC. General practitioner follow-up of children undergoing grommet insertion. Can it work? Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 1995;20:1–2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Kinsella, JB, Fenton, J, Donnelly, MJ. Tympanostomy tubes and early post-operative otorrhea. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 1995;30:111–14CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8Myer, CM 3rd. Post-tympanostomy tube otorrhea. Ear Nose Throat J 2001;80(suppl):4–7Google ScholarPubMed
9Wallace, HC, Newbegin, CJR. Does ENT outpatient review at 1 week post ventilation tube insertion improve outcome at 1 month in paediatric patients? Clin Otolaryngol 2004;29:595–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed