Clinical Characteristics of Bilateral Chronic Otitis Media.
10.3342/kjorl-hns.2014.57.12.821
- Author:
Jisung KIM
1
;
Soo Kyoung PARK
;
Jae Hong PARK
;
Dong Wook LEE
;
Young Seok CHOI
;
See Ok SHIN
Author Information
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea. soshin@chungbuk.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cholesteatoma;
Middle ear;
Otitis media
- MeSH:
Audiometry;
Cholesteatoma;
Ear;
Ear, Middle;
Follow-Up Studies;
Hearing;
Humans;
Otitis Media*;
Prevalence;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Korean Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
2014;57(12):821-825
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bilateral chronic otitis media (BCOM) and the ratio of unilateral or bilateral cholesteatoma in BCOM. Pre- and post-operative hearing were analyzed to see if bilateral balanced hearing were achieved. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective review was done with a computerized otologic database to identify all patients who underwent surgical treatments for COM between 1998 and 2011, and has a follow up duration for at least 6 months. Comparative analysis between pre- and post-operation hearing was measured by pure tone audiometry and achievement of bilateral balanced hearing was analyzed with 'The Belfast rule of thumb'. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty-one (14.5%) of 1938 patients suffered from BCOM, and of these, 73 (25.9%) of the patients with BCOM had cholesteatomas in one (12.4%) or both ears (13.5%). When a patient with BCOM is found with cholesteatoma in one ear, the odds of there being cholesteatoma in the other ear was 52.1%. According to 'The Belfast rule of thumb', it is considered difficult to achieve successful bilateral hearing gains sufficient for the patients to perceive subjective hearing improvements in BCOM. CONCLUSION: Approximately 15% of the COM patients were found with the disease in both ears, and the odds of a patient with BCOM having cholesteatoma in one ear also having cholesteatoma in the other ear was 53.4%. It was difficult to achieve subjective, successful and balanced bilateral hearing gain with three-dimensional hearing improvements.
