Opening plugged tympanostomy tubes.

Abstract

To determine the most effective solvents for dissolving plugged tympanostomy tubes. In vitro laboratory study. Twelve solvents (including ototopical antibiotics and water) were applied to fluoroplastic tympanostomy tubes (n = 260) plugged with dried mucoid middle ear effusion in an ear canal-tympanic membrane model. Time to clearance of the tympanostomy tubes was both visually and tympanometrically determined. Vinegar (P =.0030) and hyaluronidase solutions (P =.0030) were significantly better solvents than water. Vinegar and hyaluronidase solutions are more likely to clear plugged tympanostomy tubes than water and ototopical antibiotics, but vinegar is the preferred solution because of its known relative safety for use in the ear.