HEARING LOSS IN CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIA-MUCOSAL TYPE, ACTIVE VERSUS INACTIVE STAGE

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare type and degree of hearing loss in active and inactive chronic otitis media mucosal patients.
Materials and Methods: It was a prospective analytical study of 8 months (1st Jan to 31st August 2018) where all patients of chronic otitis media (COM) mucosal active presenting in Nepalgunj medical college underwent pure tone audiometry. These patients underwent standard medical treatment (Neomycin and betamethasone ear drop) to make ear dry. Review was done in inactive stage and they again underwent audiogram. Data was analyzed to compare audiogram degree and type of both active and inactive stage.
Results: Total ear studied was 364 and most of patients were below 40 years age. Conductive hearing loss was the commonest (58.7%) type of hearing loss. Higher air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) thresholds, with increasing age, was found in both active and inactive COM mucosal. There was significant decrease in AC threshold in all patients below 60 years (p<0.01) after treatment. Commonest audiogram pattern change were flat curve turning into downsloping and upsloping turning into flat curve.
Conclusion: COM-mucosal is common cause of hearing loss and mostly involves younger age groups. More than 1/3rd has sensorineural hearing loss which is more in older age. Younger age group can have worse cochlear reserve after an episode of active otitis media. Conductive hearing loss in these patients improves in all ages after treatment ,while sensorineural part might get worse in younger patients.
Keywords: Chronic Otitis Media healed, Hearing loss, Tympanosclerosis