The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the development process of miringosclerosis after myringotomy in rats.

Myringosclerosis is defined as hyaline degeneration and calcification of collagen fibers pathologically located in lamina propria of tympanic membrane. It may be observed after tympanic membrane injury, myringotomy for the treatment of otitis media with effusion or ventilation tube insertions. There are many studies about experimental myringosclerosis after performing tympanic membrane injury. In these studies, development of myringosclerosis is evaluated in different aspects. Inflammation after myringotomy operation and the development of free oxygen radicals by way of increasing oxygen concentration and calcification result in myringosclerosis. In order to prevent myringosclerosis a lot of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic agents have been studied. Omega-3 fatty acids are well known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic agents. These effects are proved in so many studies but our knowledge it has never been studied in tympanic membrane perforations and development of myringosclerosis. In our study, the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on myringosclerosis development were investigated. 24 Wistar-Albino rats were used. After performing standard myringotomies, rats were randomly divided into 4 groups consisting of 6 rats in each. First group received no treatment. Second group was subjected to topical saline. Third group was subjected to topical omega-3 and the fourth group was subjected to systemic omega- 3 by way of orogastric lavage. Rats were sacrified after treatment of 14 days. After audiomicroscopic examination, the tympanic membranes of rats were excised for histopathological examination. Thickness of tympanic membranes, inflammation and myringosclerosis scores were recorded. At the end of the study, a statistically significant difference between control group and topical omega-3 group was noted in the tympanic membrane thicknesses. There was also a statistically significant difference between control group and systemic omega-3 group in the tympanic membrane thicknesses. But there was no statistical relation between inflammation scores and myringosclerosis of the groups. In our study, we could not find any protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids on myringosclerosis development after myringotomy.