[Short-term complications of transtympanic aerators]

Three hundred and thirteen transtympanic aerators (TTA), including 309 T-tubes, were inserted between november 1985 and April 1987 at the Bretonneau hospital, Paris. Twenty-three (7%) were expelled spontaneously, 16 (5%) became obstructive and in 6 cases a change of TTA was required. The commonest complication was otorrhea. Younger children tended to develop early otorrhea. There were 7 cases (2%) of early otorrhea and 50 (16%) of secondary otorrhea. By contrast the onset of secondary otorrhea was independent of age. A relationship with penetration of water into the middle ear through the TTA could not be confirmed. At the present time the authors permit bathing without any special precautions. In parallel, between november 1985 and august 1987, 84 bacteriological samples were obtained in cases of otorrhea related with a TTA, whether or not the latter had been inserted at Bretonneau. Predominant organisms were Hemophilus influenzae (30%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30%) and Staphylococcus (18%). On the basis of results of antibiotic sensitivity studies using the organisms discovered in these samples, the authors suggest local therapy based upon polymyxin or rifamycin as treatment of first choice.