ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recently, adult-onset otitis media with effusion(OME) tends to increase in its incidence. We compared the treatment of OME by morphologic difference of nasopharynx and eustachian tube orifice in adult-onset OME. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 156 patients were retrospectively studied. 156 patients were divided into 4 groups; group 0: normal finding on eustachian tube orifice and nasopharynx, group I: pathologic lesions on eustachian tube orifice and torus tubarius, group II: pathologic lesions on nasopharynx, group III: pathologic lesions on group I and II. Pathologic lesions are hyperemia, edema, lymphoid follicle hyperplasia. First, we treated patients with antibiotics, if OME was not improved, combined treatment of antibiotics and steroid was administered. If OME was not improved by medical treatment, myringotomy or ventilation tube insertion was done. RESULTS: Antibiotics treatment was effective in group 0, combined treatment of antibiotics and steroid was effective in group I, II. Many cases of surgical treatmnent was done in group III and it was effective. CONCLUSION: Careful examination of nasopharynx and eustachian tube orifice can predict prognosis and choice of treatment.