Assessment of utilization of the oxymetazoline in ventilation tube surgery to reduce the incidence of postoperative complications

BackgroundVentilation tube placement is a common surgical procedure in pediatric otolaryngology surgery. The most common postoperative complications are otorrhea and obstruction to ventilation tube lumen. Use of topical drops after ventilation tube placement decreases the incidence of postoperative otorrhea and the occlusion of ventilation tube.ObjectiveThis study carried out to evaluate the efficacy of oxymetazoline solution instilled after ventilation tube placement in prevention of postoperative otorrhea and prevention of tube occlusion.Patients and methodsSeventy-two otitis media with effusion patients whom subjected to ventilation tube insertion undergoing myringotomy with ventilation tube insertion. They divided into two groups, the right ears of all patients considered as the study group (oxymetazoline group) while the left ears for all patients considered as the control group (saline group).ResultsPostoperative otorrhea is significantly lower in the oxymetazoline group compared with the saline group (5.6% and 19.4%, respectively), which was statistically significant. In addition, tube patency after 1 month from the operation was significantly higher in the oxymetazoline group compared with the saline group.ConclusionUtilization of oxymetazoline solution after ventilation tube insertion prevents the postoperative otorrhea and tube occlusion.