Otitis Media with Effusion
Pronunciation: oh-TY-tiss MEE-dee-uh with eh-FYU-zhun
A condition characterised by the accumulation of non-infected fluid in the middle ear space, commonly causing a mild to moderate conductive hearing loss, also known as 'glue ear'.
Full Definition
Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is the presence of fluid in the middle ear cavity without signs or symptoms of acute infection. It is among the most prevalent causes of hearing loss in children and may persist for weeks to months, affecting speech and language development if left unmanaged. Audiological findings typically include a flat or type B tympanogram, absent acoustic reflexes, and elevated pure-tone thresholds in the low frequencies. Editors should hyphenate the adjectival form 'otitis-media-with-effusion-related' only when it directly precedes a noun and should distinguish OME from acute otitis media (AOM) in clinical documents.
Usage
Usage note: Do not abbreviate to 'otitis media' alone; OME must be distinguished from AOM in all clinical and medicolegal documents.
In Context
- "Otitis media with effusion was confirmed by a flat tympanogram and absent ipsilateral acoustic reflexes." — Paediatric ENT referral letter
- "The child's recurrent OME necessitated insertion of ventilation tubes." — Surgical consent form