A unilateral serous effusion in an adult is due to nasopharyngeal tumour until proven otherwise.
‘Secretory otitis media’, ‘otitis media with effusion (OME)’, or `glue ear', is the accumulation of serous or mucoid fluid (but not mucopurulent fluid) in the middle ear cavity without signs and symptoms of an acute infection (1,2)
Over 50% of effusions resolve spontaneously within 3 months and 95% within one year (1), but bilateral hearing loss, persisting 12 months, occurs in 5% of cases.
NICE suggest that with respect to children (5):
Be aware that children with OME often present with any of the following features:
Note also that the following can also be associated with OME:
Clinicians should have a higher suspicion of OME if the child has any of the following features, but be aware the absence of these features does not rule out OME:
Note also that that OME is less likely in the absence of the following:
Reference:
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