A comparison of the effects of mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty on contralateral ear using otoacoustic emission in chronic otitis media surgery

Abstract

In this study, we compared possible changes in the opposite ears of the patients who underwent mastoid surgery using a drill or tympanoplasty surgery without the use of a drill through distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Between November 2011 and March 2012, a total of 41 patients (17 mastoidectomy, 24 tympanoplasty) who were scheduled for surgery with the diagnosis of chronic otitis media without any pathology identified in their contralateral ears in our clinic were included. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions measurements were performed on their opposite ears of the patients for which no surgery was planned at the frequencies of 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8 and 4 kHz on pre- and postoperative day one and day seven. A statistically significant difference was found in the measurements taken on pre- and postoperative day seven at the frequency of 1.4 kHz in patients who underwent mastoidectomy. For the patients who underwent tympanoplasty, statistically significant differences were identified in the measurements on pre- and postoperative day one and postoperative day one-day seven at the frequency of 1 kHz; pre- and postoperative day one at 1.4 kHz; pre- and postoperative day seven and postoperative day one-day seven at 2 kHz and pre- and postoperative day one-day seven at 2.8 kHz. The comparison between mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty groups revealed a statistically significant difference in the rates of change on postoperative day one-day seven at the frequencies of 1, 1.4, 2.8 kHz and on pre- and postoperative day one at the frequency of 1.4 kHz. During the first and seventh days of surgery in both mastoidectomy with drilling and tympanoplasty surgery without drilling, statistically significant changes were observed in contralateral DPOAE amplitutudes.