RESUMO
Introduction: otitis media with effusion [OME] is a common disease characterized by the retention of fluid and inflammatory by-products in the middle ear without any clinical symptom of acute infection
Objective: to evaluate the benefits in the medical management and watchful waiting prior to surgical intervention in patients with otitis media with effusion
Methods: A total of 130 patents with otitis media with effusion, aged newborn - 35 years. All patients received medical treatment: in the form of amoxicillin for 10 days [as second trail therapy], if no improvement amoxicillin clavulanic acid for another 10 days was given [as second trail therapy]. Patients with persistent effusion post medical treatment were followed up for 3 months for spontaneous regression [watchful waiting - third trail therapy]. Patients with persistent effusion after 3 months subjected to surgical management according to the predisposing factor
Results: a total of 86 [66.2%] of our patients showed complete recovery with medical management, of them 38 patients [29.2%] responded after the trial of medical therapy, 26.1% responded after the second course and [35.3%] showed spontaneous recovery on watchful waiting
Conclusion: initial trail of medical therapy with watchful waiting for three months should be practiced prior to surgical intervention