[Medical treatment of seromucous otitis]

The authors list the main modalities for medical therapy proposed for sero-mucous otitis. Treatments such as antibiotherapy, corticotherapy and antihistamines have not proved to be effective, although they are useful at certain stages of the disease. The authors present a study of a mucolytic, carbocysteine, for the treatment of sero-mucous otitis. The study was performed using a double blind procedure against placebo in 44 children aged from 30 months to ten years. Monitoring included a clinical examination, impedancemetry, and audiometry. With carbocysteine, the auditive recovery was significantly faster on the side of the least affected ear. When transtympanic drainage had to be performed, the mucolytic effect in vivo on the fluidity of the secretions was directly noted. An improved ear evacuation was obtained. Tolerance was perfect in prolonged treatment with a high posology in young children.