Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2020 Feb;63(2):64-70. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2019.00423.

The Clinical Implications of Simultaneous Bilateral Chronic Ear Surgery for Patients with Asymmetric Hearing

• Han SY
• Ji JY
• Shim YJ
• Park MH

• KMID: 2501934
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2019.00423

Abstract

Background and Objectives
Surgery for bilateral chronic otitis media (COM) is usually performed sequentially, not simultaneously. The main reason is to prevent iatrogenic bilateral conductive hearing loss during recovery period. However, with asymmetric hearing loss, the difference in patient inconvenience between sequential and simultaneous surgery may be the same. This study evaluates the efficacy of simultaneous COM surgery in patients with asymmetric hearing. Subjects Materials and Method From 2012 to 2018, 9 patients underwent simultaneous bilateral COM surgery. The period of patients’ hospital stay, the success rate of tympanoplasty, tolerability for operation, and hearing thresholds were analyzed statistically.
Results
For the 8 same-day surgery patients, the mean hospital period was 4.4±0.7 days, which was much shorter than that of sequential surgery (8 days). Tympanoplasty was successful in all patients without complications. In the better side, the preoperative/postoperative mean air conduction thresholds (AC) were 62.97±12.89 dB/47.81±19.07 dB (p=0.017), the bone conduction thresholds (BC) were 46.72±10.31 dB/37.66±16.99 dB (p=0.161) and the air-bone gaps (ABG) were 16.25±8.81 dB/10.16±7.78 dB (p=0.176). In the worse side, the preoperative/ postoperative mean AC were 86.56±18.22 dB/72.18±29.43 dB (p=0.035), BC were 53.28± 11.10 dB/48.13±18.41 dB (p=0.173), and ABG were 33.28±11.22 dB/24.06±14.80 dB (p=0.500). In both ear, the postoperative AC and BC were better than or equivocal to those of the preoperative value, and the result was similar with each of the unilateral ear audiological results.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that there is no complete consensus to date, simultaneous bilateral COM surgery can be an option when patients have asymmetric hearing loss. Simultaneous bilateral COM surgery could save time, cost, and lead to similar results with sequential surgery, so it could be a considerable surgical option for patients with bilateral COM.

Keyword

Bilateral hearing loss; Otitis media; Otologic surgical procedure