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Safety of topical ear drops containing ototoxic antibiotics
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Central Emek Hospital, Afula, Israel.
Insights
Topical ear drops with ototoxic antibiotics are safe for treating middle ear issues in children. Clinical use showed no sensorineural hearing loss in patients receiving these antibiotic ear drops.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Topical ear drops containing ototoxic antibiotics are frequently prescribed for middle ear diseases.
- Concerns exist regarding the ototoxic potential of these medications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical safety of topical ear drops containing ototoxic antibiotics.
- To assess the risk of sensorineural hearing loss associated with their use.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 446 children undergoing myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion was studied.
- 358 children received polymyxin B-neomycin-dexamethasone ear drops post-operatively for 2 weeks; 88 did not.
- Audiometric tests were conducted pre-operatively and up to 3 months post-operatively.
Main Results:
- All 446 children maintained normal sensorineural hearing thresholds both before and after the surgical procedure.
- No instances of sensorineural hearing loss were observed in the group treated with the antibiotic ear drops.
Conclusions:
- Topical ear drops containing ototoxic antibiotics demonstrate clinical safety when used for short durations.
- This study supports the judicious use of these ear drops in pediatric patients with middle ear conditions.
Objective:
Topical application of ear drops containing ototoxic antibiotics is commonly used for treatment of middle ear diseases. Because of their ototoxic potential, we evaluated the safety of these ear drops in clinical use.
Methods:
The study included 446 children who underwent myringotomy and the insertion of tympanostomy tubes. Three hundred and fifty-eight received preventive treatment after the operation with polymyxin B-neomycin-dexamethasone ear drops for 2 weeks; 88 did not receive any ear drops. Audiometric tests were performed before the operation and up to 3 months following it.
Results:
All 446 children had a normal sensorineural hearing threshold before and after the operation. There was no sensorineural hearing loss in the group that was treated with ear drops.
Conclusions:
Our experience leads us to believe that topical ear drops containing ototoxic antibiotics are clinically safe to use for a short period of time.