Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast. My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be

talking to you about glue ear. And you can find written notes on this topic at zero tofinals.com

slash glue ear or in the E&T section of the Zero to Finals Pediatrics book. So let's get straight into it.

Blue ear is also known as Otitis Media with effusion.

The middle ear becomes full of fluid, causing a loss of hearing in that ear.

The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat.

It helps drain secretions from the middle ear into the throat. When the eustation tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. It helps drain secretions from the middle ear into the throat.

When the eustation tube becomes blocked, this causes middle ear secretions or fluid to build up in the middle ear space.

The middle ear becomes full of fluid and this affects the functioning of the ear.

The main symptom of glue ear is a

reduction in hearing in that ear. The main complication of glue ear is infection with otitis

media. Autoscopy, which involves examining the tympanic membrane with an otoscope,

can show a dull tympanic membrane with air bubbles or a visible

fluid level behind the membrane. It can also look normal. So how do we manage glute ear? The first step

in managing a patient who has reduced hearing and potentially glue ear is to refer the patient to

audiometry to help establish the diagnosis and the extent of the hearing loss.

Glue ear is usually treated conservatively and resolves without treatment within three months.

Children with comorbidities affecting the structure of the ear, for example Down syndrome or a cleft palate,

may require hearing aids or grommets.

Let's talk more about grommets.

Grommits are tiny tubes inserted into the tympanic membrane by an E&T surgeon.

They allow fluid to drain from the middle ear through the tympanic membrane into the ear

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