THE EFFICACY OF MODIFIED POLITZERIATION ON THE TREATMENT OF OTITIS MEDIA WITH EFFUSION

¹Keçiören Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Baş ve Boyun Cerrahisi, Ankara, Türkiye
²Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Baş ve Boyun Cerrahisi, Ankara, Türkiye The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of politzeriation in the treatment of otitis media with effusion (OME) and to investigate its role on decreasing the incidence of surgical interventions. A handheld device, EarPopperR (New York, U.S.A., patent no:5419762) was provided to the parents. Politzerization was performed twice a day for twelve weeks. Patients were evaluated every week with the otologic examination, timpanogram and stapes reflex. We exclueded the patients from follow-up who recovered for three parametres and reevaluated them four weeks after treatment. Surgical treatment was recommended for patients who did not improve within 12 weeks. At the end of the 12th week, recovery rate was 80% and mean recovery period was 6±1 weeks. Two recurrences were observed and one of them recovered by repeated politzerization. Overall, 75% patients recovered without need for surgery. Recovery rates were signigicantly lower in patients with adenoid hypertrophy. In conclusion, daily, more frequent than once-a-day use of politzerization for a period over 4 weeks is an effective treatment procedure and should be considered before surgical interventions for OME patients. Keywords :