Imbalance and chronic secretory otitis media in children: effect of myringotomy and insertion of ventilation tubes on body sway.

We studied balance in 34 children with chronic secretory otitis media and compared them with 34 age- and sex-matched control children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. In addition to history and examination, objective measurements were obtained by use of a fixed force plate body sway platform in both the control group and the group with chronic secretory otitis media. We took measurements in both groups at an interval of 4 months to ensure that any improvement in body sway could not be attributed to normal maturation. Eight parameters of body sway were compared, including three new parameters not described elsewhere (mean squared velocity, the number of intersections, and velocity moment). Our study showed that balance is significantly worse in children with chronic secretory otitis media compared to a control group. Furthermore, the increased body sway of children with chronic secretory otitis media was returned to the normal range by myringotomy and insertion of ventilation tubes.