Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) which also called glue ear is famous in children. Most of children under four years could have OME, but decline beyond six years of age, medical and surgical treatments are present for OME.
Objective: To evaluate the impact of early extrusion of grommet tubes on the eustachian tubes of children and whether this necessitates another intervention or not.
Methods: This a retrospective cohort study was performed at Otorhinolaryngology Department, Benha University, Egypt. 191 children (3 to 14 years) diagnosed with bilateral OME, not responding to medical treatment and underwent myringotomy with Shepard grommet tubes insertion between January 2020 and August 2023. Group (A) patients (318 ears) with standard extrusion time of grommets (6 to 12 months). The group (B) patients (64 ears) with early extrusion time (before 3 months from grommet tube insertion). Both groups were followed for 6 months after extrusion of the grommet’s tubes
Results: At the insertion time the mean ages for group A and B were 5.3 years and 5.1 years, respectively, without statistical differences for age and sex. Adenoidectomy performed in 52.9 % of patients, without statistical difference between groups. Cure rate was 84.9% in group A and 84.4 % in group B, which was comparable.
Conclusion: Early extrusion for grommets tube has similar fate to standard extrusion time. No further treatment in early extrusion time grommets until 6 months with treatment and follow up is elapsed.