Tube patency: Is there a difference following otic drop administration?

Purpose: Many surgeons instill peri-operative otic drops to maintain tube patency. A post-hoc analysis of three randomized, controlled studies involving a one-time administration of ciprofloxacin (OTO-201) given instead of otic drops perioperatively was conducted to evaluate tube patency in patients who did and did not receive otic drops as defined within the study protocol.

Materials And Methods: Post-hoc, retrospective analysis from three prospective, randomized, double-blind trials, (Phase 1b study [n = 83] and two Phase 3 studies [n = 532]) which enrolled children with confirmed middle ear effusion on the day of tympanostomy tube surgery and then randomized to placebo/sham (tubes alone) or OTO-201 and studied over a 28-day observation period. Patients with observed otorrhea post-tube were provided otic drops in the studies. An analysis was performed on the combined studies to evaluate tube patency, determined by pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry, at four defined study visits over 28 days after the initial tube placement.

Results: The analysis included 591 total patients with similar baseline demographics across groups. Tube patency ranged from 87 to 95% for patients who received otic drops, and from 96 to 99% for patients who did not receive otic drops.

Conclusion: Based on a retrospective post-hoc analysis from three randomized controlled trials in nearly 600 patients, tympanostomy tube occlusion rates was not increased in patients who did not receive otic drops. From this analysis, occlusion is likely caused primarily by peri-operative otorrhea since patency rates approached 99% in the absence of this complication.