Analysis of hearing improvement in patients with chronic mucosal otitis media after type-1 tympanoplasty

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Chronic mucosal otitis media implies a permanent abnormality of the pars tensa. It can be active, where there is pus formation and inflammation or it can be inactive, where there is no inflammation and pus formation. It may occur due to many etiological factors like recurrent Upper respiratory tract infection leading to Eustachian tube blockage, sequelae to unresolved acute otitis media etc. Patient is most commonly presented with pus discharge from ears and decreased hearing.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This prospective study was carried out in 44 patients, above the age of 18 years, with unilateral chronic mucosal otitis media. All patients underwent type 1 tympanoplasty. Pre and post treatment hearing was measured by pure tone audiometry. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> The result shows that most patients were in the age group of 20-30 years of age. Most common symptom patients presented with was hearing loss and pus discharge. The pre treatment mean air bone gap was 34 db and the post treatment mean air bone gap was 14 db.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Most common age group was between 20-30 years. Patients presented with mostly hearing loss and discharge from the ear which was chronic in nature and mostly mucoid. All patients benefitted in hearing postoperatively after type 1 tympanoplasty was done. It shows that type 1 tympanoplasty is still one of the most used methods and produces effective results in patients with chronic mucosal otitis media.</p>