To determine whether tympanostomy tube insertion has benefit, compared with simple myringotomy, in children with otitis media with effusion who receive concurrent adenoidectomy as treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome caused by adenoid hypertrophy.

Fifty-two children older than three years with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome were randomly assigned to receive either adenoidectomy plus tympanostomy tube insertion (group one, n = 25) or adenoidectomy plus myringotomy (group two, n = 27). Pre- and post-operative health-related quality of life was assessed using the otitis media-6 (OM-6) tool, and audiological outcomes were recorded six and 12 months post-operatively.

Group one showed better quality of life scores six months post-operatively (score difference −0.38, confidence interval −0.65 to −0.10) but not 12 months post-operatively (score difference −0.23, confidence interval −0.76 to 0.11), compared with pre-operative values. Audiological outcomes did not differ significantly at either time point, compared with pre-operative values.

Tympanostomy tube insertion confers a short term benefit, compared with simple myringotomy, in children older than three years with otitis media with effusion who receive concurrent adenoidectomy as treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Further studies are necessary to identify which of these children will receive long-lasting benefit from tympanostomy tube insertion.