Objective: To explore the effect of eardrum tubing in the repair of cleft palate on alleviating the otitis media with effusion (OME) and hearing loss in cleft palate patients.
Methods: Nineteen ears of 19 cleft palate children with OME and hearing loss were treated with the ventilation tube insertion in the repair of the cleft palates, while the untreated opposite ears were selected as the control group. All patients were followed up from 2 weeks to 18 months postoperatively and their middle ear condition and hearing thresholds were reevaluated by otoscopy and pure-tone audiometry.
Results: Significant differences were found in the incidences of hearing loss between pre and postoperative patients in treated ears, and there are no differences in the untreated ears. Postoperative hearing thresholds become lower than that before the operation and no serious complications were found in the treated ears.
Conclusions: The ventilation tube insertion in medial ear is safe and effective to restore the hearing impaired by OME in the cleft palate patients. It can be used as a regular management for OME and hearing loss in cleft palate children.