Adenoidectomy versus tympanostomy in chronic secretory otitis media.

Fifty-eight consecutive charts of children suffering from mucoid middle ear effusion proven by myringotomy who were followed for two years were reviewed. Half of the group underwent adenoidectomy and the other half, with similar age distribution, had tympanostomy. Only 20.7% of the adenoidectomized children had normal hearing and aerated middle ears during the two-year follow-up, whereas 59% had normal hearing following tympanostomy. Adenoidectomy had no additional beneficial effect on the cure rate obtained by tympanostomy, which proved to be more effective in all age groups, and in the nonallergic child. In the atopic child, however, both modalities yielded similarly poor results.