Value of post-nasal space biopsy in patients with adult onset serous otitis media

• Published in: Clinical otolaryngology Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 249 - 250
• Main Authors: Sadr, A.H., Prior, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2006
• ISSN: 1749-4478; 1749-4486
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4486.2006.01236_16.x

Background. Otitis media with effusion (OME) is common in children but this is not the case in adults. In adults it can be associated with nasopharyngeal neoplasms (NPN). It is accepted practice in the UK to biopsy the posterior nasal space (PNS) to rule out neoplasms. We believe this routine practice is no longer justified in view of modern methods of examination of PNS. Aims and objectives. To identify the incidence of NPN in adults with otitis media with effusion without any other signs and symptoms suggestive of NPN. We also identified the presenting symptoms and signs of all patients who were diagnosed with NPN during the study period. Methods. This is a retrospective study of 158 adult onset otitis media who had a posterior nasal space biopsy performed. The patients with positive and negative biopsy results were analysed for their presenting signs and symptoms. Results. Only 58 patients had OME as the sole presentation. The rest had other signs or symptoms in addition to OME. All patients with OME as the sole presentation had negative biopsy results and all patients with a positive biopsy result for NPN had other symptoms or signs in addition to OME. Conclusions. The role of PNS biopsy in adults with isolated OME seems to be questionable in view of the limited information it provides. This may be due to wider use of endoscopes which enable us to detect small abnormalities in PNS.