Comparison of the tympanogram and otoscopic findings in effusions of middle ear

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate therole of tympanogram test in routine use comparing thetympanogram findings and otoscopic examination findingsin patients with suspicious otitis media with effusion.Materials and methods: 64 outpatients with suspiciousotitis media with effusion presented at our Otorhinolaryngologyclinic and first otoscopic examination and thentympanometric examination was performed for their 128ears. Predictions of the physicians who performed otoscopicexamination for outcomes from tympanogram andactual tympanogram outcomes were compared.Results: Predictions of the physician for otoscopic examinationwere different from tympanogram outcomesin 22.6 percent (n=29) of 128 otoscopic examinationsin total. However, the physician predicted Type A tympanogramsuggesting no effusion in only four of theseotoscopic examinations yet Type B or Type C outcomessuggesting existence of effusion were obtained from tympanogram.Conclusion: Application of tympanogram test routinelyas part of otologic examination to each patient is a causeof material loss. Our first choice should be otoscopic examination.Key words: Otitis media with effusion, tympanogram,otoscope