Quality-of-life outcomes after surgical intervention for otitis media

To assess the change in disease-specific quality of life in children with recurrent acute otitis media and/or chronic otitis media with effusion treated with surgical intervention.

Prospective questionnaire-based outcome study.

An academic pediatric otolaryngology practice.

Consecutive series of 123 children referred for surgical treatment of recurrent acute otitis media and/or chronic otitis media with effusion.

Surgery included bilateral myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement either alone or with adenoidectomy. An otitis media disease-specific questionnaire was administered before and after surgical intervention.

Comparison of the mean percentage change in total ear symptom score between presurgery and postsurgery scores at 1 and 6 months after surgery.

The mean percentage change in total ear symptom score was a 74.5% improvement (P<.001) at the 1-month follow-up and a 59.8% improvement (P<.001) at the 6-month follow-up. Parental worry related to the child's ear problems was also significantly decreased, with a mean otitis media disease-specific questionnaire score of 3.43 (P<.001) at 1 month and 2.64 (P<.001) at 6 months after surgery. When caregivers were asked if they would have their child undergo tympanostomy tube placement if they had to make the decision again, 91% and 84% responded yes at the 1- and 6-month follow-up, respectively.

The disease-specific quality of life of children with recurrent acute otitis media and/or chronic otitis media with effusion with appropriate surgical indications significantly improved after surgical intervention. The amount of parental worry concerning their children's ear problems also significantly improved following surgery, and most caregivers would opt again for tube placement.