Possibilities of effective topical therapy in treatment of acute otitis media in children: A review

Abstract

Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common infection of the middle ear in children with predominant symptoms of pain and hearing impairment. If antibiotics are prescribed, they take time to act on the inflammatory process, so the main focus is on relieving pain. Topical anesthetics have the advantage of having fewer systemic side effects when analgesic is used. The review covers a systematic analysis of the literature on the problem of AOM in children for the period from 1990 to 2021. Analgesic ear drops with lidocaine and phenazone can provide first-line pain relief for otitis media without systemic side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders and nausea and can maintain a wait-and-see attitude towards saving antibiotics. A combined drug containing a combination of the anesthetic lidocaine and the anti-inflammatory drug phenazone shows optimal action to eliminate pain and inflammation in children with AOM. The drug, which is recommended from the birth of a child and included in the National clinical guidelines for the treatment of AOM (2021), can be prescribed by a pediatrician and a general and family practitioner.