Middle ear effusions in neonates

Abstract

Suppurative middle ear effusions (MEE) have been shown to occur commonly in neonates. In spite of this, otoscopy is not routinely performed on septic infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU). This is clinically significant since unrecognized suppurative MEE may act as a focus for dissemination of bacteria into the circulation and/or central nervous system (CNS). We have completed a prospective study in an attempt to define the prevalence, bacteriology, and response to therapy of MEE in neonates. To facilitate this, the normal micro-otoscopic appearance of the newborn TM was established by systematically examining 50 normal infants under 24 hours old. MEE was present in 30% of 125 consecutively examined infants in the neonatal ICU. Bacteriologic data are drawn from tympanocentesis performed on 34 neonates. Nasotracheal intubation of longer than seven days is highly associated with suppurative MEE. Suppurative MEE in the neonatal ICU is often refactory to treatment and may require prolonged therapy and repeated tympanocentesis.