Usability of Tympanometry in Oriental Medical Treatment of OME

삼출성 중이염 환자의 경과 관찰 시(時) tympanometry 사용의 유용성

Background: Otitis media with effusion(OME) is one of the most common disease in childhood. Patient suffers from OME in many quarters. For example hearing loss, effects on speech, language, learning, behaviouralchanges etc. But the diagnosis of OME is difficult using only medical history and otoscopy. So, many other diagnostic tools are developed and tympanometry is one of them. When OME is treated by oriental medical Tx, tympanometry would be useful instrument. Objectives: To gain insight into the usability of tympanometry in F/U of OME treated by oriental medial Tx. Methods: Data was collected from 123 ears of 74 children who was treated by oriental medical Tx. Data includes sex, age, period of Tx, elapsed time to be improved, tympanograms and accompanied symptoms. The relationship between items was analysed by statistical methods. Results: There is no relationship between age, sex and period of Tx/elapsed time to be improved. When cough and phlegm is accompanied, the period of treatment and elapsed time to be improved are expanded. When improvement was seen on tympanogram, the period of treatment is expanded but the improvement was seen within 30days, the period of treatment is reduced. Conclusion: The application of tympanometry in oriental medical treatment of OME would provide us many informations about the status of patient so it will be helpful to predict the history of a case and to make a decision whether keep up treatment or not.