Assessment of hearing level after resolution of acute otitis media

Abstract EN

Background : Acute otitis media is a very common global bacterial infection in children, which could occasionally lead to major complications and deafness.

Objective : The aim is to evaluate the middle ear function and hearing level during and after an acute attack of otitis media in children.

Setting : Out Patient Clinics, ENT Department, Aseer region, KSA.

Design: Prospective study.

Method : Twenty-six children, 44 ears with acute otitis media (AOM) were evaluated clinically and audiologically at outpatient clinics.

The tests included, pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and Eustachian tube function tests, which were repeated after 10th and 30th days of the treatment.

Result : Audiological examinations during the acute episode of otitis media showed that 35 (79.5 %) had moderate and moderately severe conductive hearing loss (CHL), only 7 (16 %) had mild CHL.

Eustachian tube function was poor in 35 (79.5 %) ears.

Assessment after 10 days of treatment showed normal hearing in 3 (6.8 %) ears and improved Eustachian tube (ET) function in 19 (43.2 %) ears.

Thirty days after post-therapy revealed that 5 (11.4%) had normal hearing level with better Eustachian tube function in 32 (72.7 %) ears.

Conclusion: Although children may show clinical improvement after receiving treatment for acute otitis media (AOM), they can still suffer from some residual morbidity.

Hence, children with AOM should be followed until there is complete resolution of the condition and its complications.