Ear tubes

My 22 month old daughter had a double ear inf. We treated her with Amox. and it didn't work, we ended up in the emergency room 10 days after her first dose. We now are trying zithromax which seems to be doing its job. This has happened before. Is she a good candidate for tubes? She has had about 4 ear infections and she is 22 mos. The ER doc. Suggested them?

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

She sounds like an OME prone child, and yes she is a candidate for Tubes.  Antibiotics and Tubes both have their issues.  But if were I, I would go for tubes.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Tympanostomy tubes may be indicated for long-term ventilation of the middle ear space, and these are the considerations pro- or con- :

Less middle ear effusion: a systematic review of studies comparing tympanostomy tubes with myringotomy (cutting the drum open without tube placement) or nonsurgical treatment for otitis media with effusion - OME, 32 percent less MEE during the following year than children in other groups.

Risks: general anesthesia, weakening of the TM - tympanic membrane - eardrum, and permanent perforation of the TM.

Decreased pain and medical complications of repeated AOM acute otitis media (ear infection). Draining infected middle ear fluid allows for episodes of AOM that are less painful than in children without tubes

Hearing loss related to MEE during the period of rapid speech acquisition in children without tubes is another consideration. With tubes, the middle ear cleft remains fluid-free as long as the tubes are patent

The cost of surgery versus preventative long-term antibiotics.