Etiology analysis and diagnosis of noninflammatory conductive hearing loss in children

Abstract

Objective:To investigate the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of noninflammatory conductive hearing loss in children. Methods:The clinical data of children patients admitted to the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University from January 2019 to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results:A total of 179 cases（189 ears） were analyzed. The main symptoms from high to low were: ear tightness, hearing loss, earache, and facial paralysis. The degree of hearing loss was mild in 34 ears（19.5%）, moderate in 70 ears（40.2%）, moderate-severe in 52 ears（29.9%）, severe in 18 ears（10.3%）. The mean hearing threshold of otosclerosis was the highest（63.5±7.8） dB HL, and the mean air-bone gap of ossicular chain malformation was the largest（35.4±9.8） dB HL. The mean hearing threshold of the affected ear was（50.4±14.5） dB HL, and the mean air bone gap was（30.3±10.4） dB HL. After operation, the results were（36.1± 14.5） dB HL and（20.0±8.6） dB HL, respectively. Distribution of surgical methods for ossicular chain reconstruction: 88 ears（46.6%） of TORP, 49 ears（25.9%） of PORP, 8（4.2%） ears of Piston, 9 ears（4.8%） of autogenous ossicular reconstruction, and 35 ears（18.5%） of ossicular chain relaxation. CT diagnostic rate showed more sensitivity to malleus and incus abnormalities, the diagnosis rate of congenital middle ear cholesteatoma was the highest. The mean duration time of diagnosis was（2.2±2.9） years, while the diagnosis of ossicular chain malformation（[5.2±4.2]years）, otosclerosis（[4.4±4.1]years）, tympanosclerosis（[5.4±0.9]years） took longer. Conclusion:In the diagnosis and treatment of noninflammatory conductive hearing loss in children, the combination of detailed medical history, specialized examination and imaging examination can maximize the accuracy of diagnosis and achieve the purpose of personalized comprehensive treatment. Surgical intervention with appropriate timing is important to remove lesions and improve hearing.