Weight and shaft length of ventilation tubes; do they affect the results?
Abdelghany, A., Metwally, W., Abdelfattah, A. (2025). Weight and shaft length of ventilation tubes; do they affect the results?. EKB Journal Management System, (), -. doi: 10.21608/bmfj.2025.375495.2368
Ahmed Mohammed Abdelghany; Wael M. Metwally; Ahmed Mohammed Abdelfattah. "Weight and shaft length of ventilation tubes; do they affect the results?". EKB Journal Management System, , , 2025, -. doi: 10.21608/bmfj.2025.375495.2368
Abdelghany, A., Metwally, W., Abdelfattah, A. (2025). 'Weight and shaft length of ventilation tubes; do they affect the results?', EKB Journal Management System, (), pp. -. doi: 10.21608/bmfj.2025.375495.2368
Abdelghany, A., Metwally, W., Abdelfattah, A. Weight and shaft length of ventilation tubes; do they affect the results?. EKB Journal Management System, 2025; (): -. doi: 10.21608/bmfj.2025.375495.2368

Weight and shaft length of ventilation tubes; do they affect the results?

Benha Medical Journal
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 09 July 2025  XML PDF (419.61 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/bmfj.2025.375495.2368
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Authors
Ahmed Mohammed Abdelghany email orcid 1; Wael M. Metwally2; Ahmed Mohammed Abdelfattah3
1Otorhinolaryngology department, Benha University
2James Paget University Hospitals
3Otorhinolaryngology department, Al-Azhar University
Abstract
Abstract

Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a prevalent condition among children. International guideline emphasises using of ventilation tubes (VTs) as a standard treatment for persistent OME. VTs differ in their features. Comparative studies assessed the impact of VTs variables on treatment outcomes.

Aim: To investigate the influence of VTs weight and shaft length on treatment outcomes in pediatric patients with OME.

Patients and methods: A retrospective study included 318 children < 18 years who underwent VT insertion for treatment of OME from March 2020 to March 2023.

Children categorized into two groups: Group A (grommet tubes) and Group B (T-tubes). Each group was divided into two subgroups based on VT weight (and shaft length in group B): A1 (heavier tubes), A2 (lighter), B1 (heavier T-tubes with longer shafts), and B2 (lighter, shorter shafts). We analyzed the relationship between tube weight (and shaft length in group B) and the rates of complications in each main group separately.

Results: The study included 572 ears. Group A had 310 ears (A1: 174, A2: 136), B had 262 ears (B1: 148, B2: 114). The weight of each tube was 0.013 grams in A1 and 0.011 grams in A2, 0.026 grams in B1, and 0.017 grams in B2. B1 had more residual perforations (17.6%) than B2 (5.3%).

Conclusions: Heavier and longer-shaft T-tubes were associated with higher residual perforation rates. This previously overlooked factor should guide the manufacture and use of lighter and potentially shorter T-tubes.
Keywords
Otitis media with effusion; shaft length; ventilation tube; weight
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