Temporal bone findings in the late stage of secretory otitis media.

The temporal bone findings in a patient with secretory otitis media are presented. One ear had been fitted with tympanostomy tubes for five and the other for three years. Before death the latter ear had been without a tube for two years. Histological study revealed secreting tympanic mucosa with a very high density of goblet cells both in the ear with a ventilating tube in position and in the ear with an intact tympanic membrane. The case represents a late stage of secretory otitis media. It seems that ventilating tubes cause the degeneration and disappearance of subepithelial glands but the effect on goblet cells is less pronounced.