To observe the prognostic difference of tympanocentesis in different kinds of otitis media effusion.

This study is a prospective, observational clinical study to observe the difference in prognosis of tympanocentesis in different kinds of otitis media effusion (OME), especially OME after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A total of 234 patients diagnosed with OME who are given the treatment of tympanocentesis only, including outpatient and inpatient patients, were included in the study. The middle ear effusion collected during the tympanocentesis is sent for bacterial culture. The positive rate of the effusion and the recurrence rate within 24 weeks will be compared in order to figure out whether bacterial infection is an important influencing factor for some kinds of OME in addition to eustachian tube dysfunction, which is acknowledged.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients clinical diagnosis of OME or OME after radiotherapy for NPC (Diagnostic criteria: fluid visible in the middle ear and a type B tympanogram).
• patients volunteered to participate in the study and signed the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• NPC recurrence or other malignant tumor after radiotherapy.
• clear diagnosis of Eustachian ostium atresia or nasal obstruction diseases, such as severe deviated nasal septum, choanal atresia, osteoradionecrosis of skull base after radiotherapy, etc.
• pregnant and lactating women.
• patients with severe underlying diseases or with severe liver and kidney dysfunction.
• patients who could not cooperate (including poor hearing and radiation encephalopathy)
• patients with other middle ear diseases, such as middle ear cholesteatoma, osteoradionecrosis of temporal bone after radiotherapy, etc.
• severe deglutition disorders
• cleft palate

Patients diagnosed with OME and OME after radiotherapy for NPC, who are given the treatment of tympanostomy only, including outpatient and inpatient patients, were included in the study.