Hearing Outcomes in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate in a Resource Limited Setting

ObjectiveTo compare hearing outcomes of early versus late tympanostomy tube insertion in patients with cleft lip and palate in a resource limited settingDesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingConducted at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, a tertiary care hospital in Bangkok, Thailand.PatientsIncluded 76 patients under 18 with cleft anomalies undergoing tympanostomy tube insertion between January 2018 and July 2022, categorized into early (n = 11) and late (n = 65) tympanostomy groups.InterventionsEarly tympanostomy tube placement at ≤ 3 months old, coordinated with cleft lip repair, following failed transitory evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and Type B tympanogram. Late tympanostomy tube placement preceded by a diagnosis of middle ear effusion and typically a failed TEOAE and subsequent level of testing.Main Outcome MeasuresPrimary outcomes: normal hearing rates and age at normal hearing. Secondary outcomes: repeated tympanostomy tube placement rate, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stays.ResultsEarly tympanostomy tube placement was associated with higher rates of normal hearing (100% vs. 75%. P = .103) and significantly younger age at normal hearing (11 vs. 19 months, P = .036). Time to normal hearing was shorter in the early group. Postoperative complications, including otorrhea, occurred more frequently in the early group, but differences were not significant.ConclusionEarly tympanostomy tube insertion improves hearing outcomes in pediatric patients with cleft lip and palate, achieving normal hearing at a significantly younger age. This approach offers a valuable alternative in resource-limited settings with constrained audiological services. Further research on long-term speech outcomes and cost-effectiveness is warranted.