Evaluation of a New Biocompatible Pressure Equalizing Tube

Overview

Otitis media is the most common illness in children and 5% to 10% of their symptom cause by fluids in their middle ear . The OME can cause hearing loss included poor development of speech and poor communication. The surgical procedure is considered simple and relatively safe, but several complications may occur after Pressure Equalizing tube insertion. The most prevalent complications are otorrhea, biofilm and formation of retraction pockets. Otorrhea occurs in 30% to 83% of children with tube and is mainly due bacterial contamination of the middle ear either from external ear canal or impaired Eustachian tube. Swimming can facilitate the entry of bacteria into the middle ear from the ear canal through the PE tubes, and this assumption is reinforced by the statistically significant association between the rate of otorrhea and the non-utilization of ear plugs in children who swim (from 47% in children who used ear plugs to 56% in those who did not).

The researcher at Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, develops new medical tool device call biocompatible Pressure Equalizing tube which can stop air passage and pressure equalization instantly, and can prevents water into the middle ear cavity. evaluate and compare the efficacy of a biocompatible Pressure Equalizing tube that enables air passage and pressure equalization almost instantly, while prevents the entrance of fluids, specially water, into the middle ear cavity. The biocompatible Pressure Equalizing tube can reduce the rate of postoperative otorrhea,air passage between outside and middle ear cavity,prevents formation of retraction pockets in TM and swimming with lower risk of otorrhea.

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