Utility of Advanced Ultrasound Otoscope In The Diagnosis of AOM

The objective of this study is to collect ultrasound signal information and visual otoscopic images with an engineering prototype device for children scheduled for tympanostomy tube surgery for the purpose of algorithm development.

After informed consent from a parent or guardian is obtained, ultrasound and visual data will be collected for each of the child's ears. The images will be taken with the Advanced Ultrasound Otoscope device. The ear laterality will be noted as well as any infection present in the fluid, non-infected fluid, or normal findings in the middle ear as reported by the surgeon. No identifiable data will be recorded. Each study participant will be given a unique study number that will be linked to the images and middle ear findings. No additional information is gathered including age, sex, name or other PHI. The images and corresponding study data will be stored on a password protected smartphone or tablet as well as on a password protected external hard drive. Other characteristics that will be collected include surgical and lab findings regarding effusion, presence or absence (i.e. effusion). The middle ear fluid which is usually suctioned will be collected in a trap chamber- Tympap- and this collected fluid will be sent to the microbiology laboratory for analysis

Investigators will be collecting ultrasound and visual data from the tympanic membrane. The images the investigators are collecting are optical images of the surface of the tympanic membrane. The waveforms do not traverse the body tissue, the tympanic membrane is a strong reflector, and the signal is returned to the ultrasound transducer for processing the waveform from an analog to a digital signal. The power of the ultrasound signal is 1/1000th of the ultrasound power used for fetal imaging which is considered safe.

Inclusion criteria

• Newborn to 12 years of age
• Receiving first set of pressure equalization (PE) tubes, even if coordinated with other procedures such as adenoidectomy
• Indication for surgery includes recurrent acute otitis media, chronic otitis media with effusion, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and/or hearing loss.

Exclusion criteria

• Cholesteatoma, tympanic membrane perforation, myringitis
• History of PE tube placement or PE tubes currently in place.