[Early hearing evaluation in patients treated by surgery due to chronic otitis]

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the study was the comparison of hearing before and after ear surgery in patients with chronic otitis media according to Fowler and Sabine criteria.

Material: The study comprised 42 patients (42 ears), aged 19-72 (26 females and 16 males). The patients were divided into three groups, considering the type of surgery; Group I--20 ears after myringoplasty, group II--14 ears after mastoidectomy with canal up and myringoplasty and group III--8 ears after the mastoidectomy with canal down.

Methods: Audiologic examination was performed together with the evaluation of hearing loss according to the criteria of Fowler and Sabine (CPT), before and 3 months after the ear surgery. The difference of 20% (CPT) was considered improvement or deterioration of the hearing.

Results: On the basis of the intraoperative examination, chronic otitis media with perforation was found in 18 patients, granulating otitis media in 16 patients and the chronic otitis with cholesteatoma in 8 patients. The myringoplasty was performed in 20 patients, the mastoidectomy with canal up and myringoplasty in 14 patients and the mastoidectomy with canal down in 8 patients. In 14 ears of group I (70%) hearing improvement was noticed, and in 6 (30%) remained unchanged. The mean hearing loss according to CPT in this group was 40.39% before ear surgery and 24.26% after. In group II in 6 ears (43%) hearing improvement was observed, whereas in 8 (57%) remained unchanged. The mean hearing loss according to CPT in this group was 71.40% before and 61.85% after surgical treatment. In group III, hearing improvement was noticed in 37% of ears and in 5 (63%) did not change after the ear operation. The mean hearing loss (CPT) in this group was 81.57% before treatment and 71.37% after.

Conclusions: Considering early evaluation of hearing the best results were obtained in patients subjected to myringoplasty and conservative operations of the middle ear with canal up procedure.