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Is nasopharyngoscopy necessary in adult‐onset otitis media with effusion?
Author(s) -
Dang Phat T.,
Gubbels Samuel P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.23967
Subject(s) - otitis , medicine , nasopharyngeal carcinoma , epidemiology , sinusitis , dermatology , pediatrics , surgery , radiation therapy
BACKGROUND In an area with low risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, is it necessary to perform nasopharyngoscopy in adults who present with isolated otitis media with effusion? Adult-onset otitis media with effusion (AO-OME) is associated with common medical conditions such as upper respiratory tract infection (URI), sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and adenoidal hypertrophy. It can also be a presenting feature of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). While NPC is endemic in China and Southeast Asia, it is a very rare disease (<1 per 100,000) in the United States. Despite this, it is common for American otolaryngologists to recommend nasopharyngoscopy in patients with AO-OME in order to rule out NPC. With such a rare disease, one must ask if nasopharyngoscopy is essential in adults who present with isolated AO-OME.