English

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Deafness is the most common presenting complaint in patient presenting to ENT OPD with complaints of ear. Deafness is a potentially morbid condition causing significant problem to the patient in their day-to-day life and livelihood. AIM: This study was undertaken to know the incidence of various diseases presenting as deafness, so that, epidemiological data can be secured and it is helpful to channel the resources and treatment modalities in the right direction. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study was carried out in a Teritiary hospital, in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. It is a prospective study, undertaken to know the prevalence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients presenting to ENT OPD from Sept 2012 to Sept 2014, with a chief complaint of deafness were included in this study. All the Patients were subjected to thorough clinical examination, necessary investigations, viz. pure tone audiometry, Examination under microscopy and wet mopping by way of syringing. RESULTS: Out of the 400 patients included for this study, 272 patients (68%) were found to be suffering from Conductive hearing loss; whereas 138 patients (34.5%) were found to be suffering from Sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss was most common in 20-30 age group in males and 30-40 age group in females; that too middle ear disease were more common than external ear; i.e. 175 patients out of 262 (66.7%) had a disease in the middle ear, 87 patients (33.2%) had a external ear pathology. External ear disease was earwax or keratosis obturans, (55.1%), the rest contributed by Otomycosis (34.4%) and malformed ears (10.3%). Diseases of middle ear were distributed as Acute otitis media (17.7%), Chronic otitis media (28%), Otitis media with effusion (50.2%), Fixation pathology (15.4%), Other causes (5.1%). CONCLUSION: Conductive hearing loss was most common in the middle age groups, between 20-40 yrs of age, females, and more commonly due to a pathology in the middle ear, Otitis media with effusion/SOM being the major contributing disease. Females were more commonly presenting with deafness in all the categories of the pathologies, barring a few.