Otitis Media with Effusion
Pronunciation: oh-TY-tis MEE-dee-uh with eh-FYU-zhun
Also written as: OME — Otitis Media with Effusion
A condition in which fluid accumulates in the middle ear without signs of acute infection, causing a conductive hearing loss; commonly referred to as 'glue ear' in pediatric contexts.
Full Definition
Otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterised by the presence of non-purulent fluid in the middle ear space, resulting in reduced tympanic membrane mobility and a mild-to-moderate conductive hearing loss. It is the most common cause of acquired hearing loss in children and is typically identified through type B tympanograms and flat acoustic reflex findings. OME is distinct from acute otitis media (which involves infection and pain) and chronic suppurative otitis media (which involves tympanic membrane perforation). Editors must not conflate OME with AOM in clinical documents, as they carry different management pathways. The colloquial term 'glue ear' is acceptable in patient-facing materials but should not appear in formal clinical reports without quotation marks or qualification.
Usage
Usage note: Reserve 'glue ear' for patient-facing copy; use 'OME' with full expansion on first use in clinical and research documents.
In Context
- "Otitis media with effusion was suspected following a type B tympanogram and a 25 dB conductive hearing loss." — Pediatric audiology assessment report
- "The draft used 'glue ear' throughout a formal referral letter, which was replaced with 'otitis media with effusion (OME)' upon editing." — Editorial correction log