Aims: to assess the value of ciprofloxacin/dexamethasone ear drops after tympanostomy tube insertion in children.
Settings and Design: This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted on children who had persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion for > three months, scheduled for bilateral myringotomy and Grommet tube insertion.
Methods and Material: Myringotomy was performed using a standardized technique under general anesthesia then ciprofloxacin/dexamethasone drops were applied in three different manners, then patient were following up for three months.
Statistical analysis used: Parametric data was analyzed using the unpaired t-test, while the Mann-Whitney U test was used for non-parametric data analysis. For categorical data analysis, the Chi square test or Fisher's exact test was used as appropriate. P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Within included 56 patients (112 ears); 19 with unilateral intraoperative drops application, 19 with unilateral intraoperative and postoperative drops application, and 18 with intraoperative drops application in both ears and postoperative application in one side. The incidence of otorrhea were lower in the ears that had only intraoperative ear drops than those with no ear drops, and the incidence of otomycosis were lower in the ears that had only intraoperative ear drops than those had both intraoperative and postoperative ear drops. But those differences were non-significant.
Conclusion: Application of ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone intraoperative after grommet tube insertion for persistent otitis media with effusion reduces the complication rate but this was not found statistically significant.