Chronic Tubotympanic Processes with a Closed Exudate

Overview

Advances which were achieved in otological diagnosis justify within the frameworkof processes in the middle ear with a closed long-term exudate to differentiate “otitis media”exudative (serosa, serotympanon), otitis media secretoria (mucotympanon) and otitis media suppu-rativa latens. Each of these units has special features in the etiopathogenesis and prognosis andcalls to a great extent also for a different therapeutic procedure. In treatment only treatment of theupper airways is in common, after which serotympanon tends to heal spontaneously. Latent otitismedia in the majority requires only paracentesis with suction and aimed antibiotic treatment.Conversely mucotympanon heals only after systematic comprehensive and frequently long-termactive surgical and conservative care of the tympanic cavity and auditory tube. The objective oftreatment is not merely elimination of hypacusia but also rapid elimination of the pathology is toa great extent incorrect and inadequate treatment of the acute tubal or middle ear inflammation,then inconsistent treatment of these diagnoses becomes the basis of an adhesive process, tympanos-clerosis and finally also cholesteatoma. The key to the development of the above mentioned tubal,tubotympanic processes and their successful treatment is the auditory tube. Drainage of thetympanic cavity is helpful, but not at all the only possible treatment.

Key words:
mucotympanon, serotympanon, otitis media latens, therapy, prognosis, complica-