In-Office Tympanostomy Tube Placement in Children (OTTER)

The objective of this study is to evaluate effectiveness and safety of tympanostomy tube (TT) placement in children following local anesthesia in a physician's clinic setting (henceforth referred to as 'in-office'). Local anesthesia using Tymbion, a lidocaine-based anesthetic, is delivered by the Tula Iontophoresis System (IPS) and TT placement is implemented by the Tula Tube Delivery System (TDS).

The IPS will be used to facilitate anesthetic delivery to the tympanic membrane (TM). The Iontophoresis System consists of an Iontophoresis Control Unit, Iontophoresis Earsets and a return electrode patch. The Control Unit monitors and delivers a fixed amount of charge (ie, dose) to the patient through the Earsets(s) and alerts the operator when charge delivery is complete. The lidocaine-based solution used for local anesthesia of the TM is Tymbion (2% lidocaine HCl/ 1:100,000 epinephrine).

The TDS is a mechanical device that integrates a myringotomy blade, tympanostomy tube and tube inserter for TT placement with a user-controlled activation. The study will use the TDS with a grommet-type tube.

This pivotal study will include up to 422 children ages 6 months through 12 years indicated for tympanostomy tube placement enrolled at approximately 15 to 25 investigational centers in the US and Canada. The pivotal cohort consists of 222 subjects. In addition, up to 100 subjects will be enrolled as lead-in procedures in the OR using the TDS and up to 100 subjects will be enrolled as lead-in procedure in-office (using IPS and TDS) as the surgeons' initial experience with the technology prior to enrolling into the pivotal cohort.

All pivotal and lead-in subjects will follow the same study protocol assessments and visit schedule consisting of a screening visit, procedure visit and 3-week, 6 month, 12 month, 18 month, and 24 month post-procedure follow-up visits. Lead-in procedures will be analyzed separately from the pivotal pediatric cohort.

Inclusion criteria

• Males or females at least 6 months old through 12 years old at time of consent
• Indication for tympanostomy tube insertion per Clinical Practice Guideline
• Behavioral capacity and cooperative temperament to undergo an awake procedure, based on physician judgment (not applicable to OR Lead-In subjects)
• Subject's parent/guardian and subject are able and willing to comply with the protocol and attend all study visits
• Subject's parent/guardian and subject are able and willing to provide informed consent or assent as age appropriate

Exclusion criteria

• Significantly atrophic, retracted, bimeric, monomeric or atelectatic tympanic membrane
• Perforated tympanic membrane
• Otitis externa
• Active or recent conditions of the tympanic membrane (eg, prior myringotomy with incomplete wound healing or re-epithelization)
• Hemotympanum
• Damaged/denuded skin in the auditory canal
• Cerumen impaction resulting in a significant amount of cleaning required to visualize the tympanic membrane potentially causing abrasion or irritation to the external ear canal
• Anatomy that precludes sufficient visualization of and access to the tympanic membrane
• Anatomy that necessitates tympanostomy tube placement in the posterior half of the tympanic membrane
• History of sensitivity or allergic reaction to lidocaine HCl, tetracaine, epinephrine, or any hypersensitivity to local anesthetics of the amide type, or any component of the anesthetic drug formulation (not applicable to OR Lead-In subjects)
• Familial history of insensitivity to lidocaine or other local anesthetics of the amide type (eg, history of inadequate anesthesia with dental numbing agents). (not applicable to OR Lead-In subjects)
• Electrically sensitive medical support systems (eg, pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants)
• Other conditions that would preclude performing the study procedure including iontophoresis system ear plug incompatibility.
• Health conditions that, in the opinion of the investigator, would present undue risk to the subject, based on device/anesthetic drug product label warnings and precautions.
• Subject is 4 years or older and not able to complete all baseline assessments. Subject is younger than 4 years and not able to complete all baseline assessments, not including audiometry.