PREVALENCE OF OTITIS MEDIA WITH EFFUSION AND EFFECT ON HEARING THRESHOLD IN CHILDREN WITH ADENOID HYPERTROPHY

Abstract

Background:  Adenoid is a lymphoid tissue at the roof and posterior wall of the nasopharynx. Otitis media with effusion (OME) is fluid in the middle ear that can affect hearing, speech, and learning in children. Aim: To determine the prevalence of middle ear effusion in children with adenoid hypertrophy and compare the grade of adenoid hypertrophy with the severity of hearing loss.

Material and method: The study was performed in the Department of ENT, Regional Institute of Medical sciences, Imphal, Manipur. 61 Children aged 3–15 years diagnosed to have adenoid hypertrophy were included in the study. Nasal endoscopy, X ray nasopharynx were performed to assess the grades of adenoids. All of them were subjected to routine otoscopic examination and hearing assessment by standard pure tone audiometry (PTA) and impedance testing.

Results: Majority of children between the ages of 3-15 years were males. 46% had adenoidal symptoms between the age group of 3-5 years. Nasal obstruction (41%), mouth breathing (35%) and snoring (39%) were the common symptoms. Majority of the children had grade 3 (45.9%) . Most children (58%) had B type curve on tympanometry. The greatest hearing loss (32–48 dB) occurred in patients with fourth grade adenoids.

Conclusion: The study shows that adenoid enlargement predisposes children to OME via mechanical obstruction, inflammation, and pathogenic reservoirs, emphasising the need for early identification and management to prevent hearing loss.