Treatment of otitis media with effusion in children with mucopolysaccharidoses

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a constant finding in children with muc opolysaccharidoses (MPS). Affected children may also present the anaestheti st with a difficult airway. A 7-year retrospective review of the management of OME in individuals with MPS was carried out. Nine patients were identif ied. All had a number of short-term ventilation tube insertions (one to fou r, mean two) before a diagnosis of MPS was made. Following diagnosis three required repeated short-term ventilation tubes insertions (two to four, mea n three), four had long-term ventilation tube insertions once only. Five ch ildren who had residual hearing loss were provided with hearing aids but co mpliance was poor in two. Once a diagnosis of MPS has been made, a hearing aid, if compliant, or a long-term ventilation tube would be a better option than a short term one in order to minimise the anaesthetic risk. A 'watch and wait' policy is not recommended. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.