N-Acetylcysteine as an Adjunct for Refractory Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) can be particularly difficult to treat as a number of patients do not respond to routine antibiotic or surgical treatments. The current treatment involves administering combination antibiotic anti-inflammatory ear drops such as Ciprodex (ciprofloxacin 0.3% / dexamethasone 0.1%). Although most patients experience a relief of symptoms, a fraction of patients remain refractory to treatment. Recent findings suggest that the addition of N-acetylcysteine (0.5-2%) to Ciprodex is a superior treatment for otitis media with effusion compared to the use of Ciprodex alone.