BURDEN OF CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIA- MUCOSAL TYPE AND THE IMPACT OF ITS SURGICAL MANAGEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the burden of COM-mucosal disease and analyse the general and disease-specific quality of life (QOL) in patients after myringoplasty.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the department of ENT and Head & Neck Surgery (HNS) from 1st December 2019 to 1st June 2020. The data was collected from the initial three months of the mentioned duration. For the assessment of the burden of COM-mucosal disease in the department all the patients visiting with the aforementioned diagnosis was recorded and compared with the total patient visit in the department in the three months duration. Sixty patients were included in the study for the QOL assessment after myringoplasty. Patients who had undergone myringoplasty filled the quality-of-life questionnaires. The means of the pre and postoperative values were compared and the benefit in their quality of life evaluated.

Results: The prevalence of COM-mucosal disease among the total new patients visited in the outpatient department of the hospital was 5.4%. Diseasespecific QOL in patients with COM improved after myringoplasty in all the scales of the questionnaire. All the activity/lifestyles scores, medical help scores and symptom scores showed statistically significant improvement after surgery.

Conclusion: There is a high burden of the COM-mucosal disease. Myringoplasty did lead to a significant improvement of disease-specific QOL in patients with COM- mucosal type.

Keywords: COM- mucosal, Myringoplasty, Quality of life (QOL)