Watchful Waiting and OME

Certainly, being an ENT physician, you might think I am prejudiced to the use of tubes, but I feel they have their place in the treatment of OME and should not be used only as a means of last resort, but after proper testing and review of the past history of denasal breathing or allergies, including sleep apnea, secondary to obstructive adenoid (properly evaluated by X-ray, and nasopharynlaryngoscopic exams), they have a proper place in OME treatment.

In summary, we have two ends of the spectrum: the pediatrician who is now being told that watchful waiting is the best method, and the ENT who might put tubes in all kids who are referred to their clinic for OME. There is some middle ground, and proper evaluation with our new methods of testing should give us the answer to the best method of treating the child.

David M. Doan, MD, FACS

Hammond, LA

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