Objective: To study the status of contralateral ear in patients with chronic otitis media.Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study in patients attending GMS Memorial Academy of ENT and Head and Neck Studies, Kathmandu between July 2008 and December 2008. There were 750 patients diagnosed as having chronic otitis media (COM) squamous and mucosal type. Otoscopy was performed in all patients in such ears and the status of contralateral ear was noted. Statistical analysis was performed by simple manual analysis using frequency and percentage. Results: Out of 750 patients, 64.4% were male and 35.6% were female. Regarding types of COM, 36.0% were squamous type. In 68.4% of the patient, the contralateral ear was found to have some form of abnormalities. In mucosal type of COM, 62.9% patients had abnormal contralateral ear while in squamous type, 71.4% patients had abnormal contralateral ear. The most common findings on contralateral ear in both group of patients was retraction of the tympanic membrane.Conclusion: Patients with COM in one ear are more likely to develop some degree of disease in the contralateral ear. The squamous type of chronic otitis media had a greater chance of contralateral ear involvement. Introduction Chronic otitis media is divided into mucosal type of chronic otitis media and squamous type of chronic otitis media.1 There are various theories on pathogenesis of chronic otitis media. We have followed the pathogenesis model suggested by the Minneapolis group 2,3 - the so called continuum theory. According to the continuum theory, otitis media with effusion is recognized as the initial condition that, when resolved, may progress to chronic transformation. Otitis media seems to exist through a continuous series of epithelial and subepithelial events, and, after the initial triggering episode, a serous or purulent otitis becomes serous-mucoid, then mucoid, and, in the abscence of therapeutic resolution, chronicity may ensue.3,4 Limited data available in the literature on status of contralateral ear in chronic otitis media.5,6 Few of them have been published describing the details of the otoscopic findings of the contralateral ear in patients with chronic otitis media. Material and Methods This is a prospective study in patients attending GMS Memorial Academy of ENT and Head and Neck Studies, Kathmandu between July 2008 and December 2008. There were 750 patients diagnosed as having chronic otitis media (COM) with or without cholesteatoma. Chronic otitis media was defined as chronic inflammation of the middle ear and or mastoid associated with permanent perforation or retraction of the tympanic membrane with or without otorrhea. There are two types of chronic otitis media. Chronic otitis media squamous type and chronic otitis media mucosal type.Contralateral ear was defined as the asymptomatic ear or in cases with bilateral symptoms, the ear with clearly less symptoms based on hearing loss, otorrhea and overal discomfort. Contralateral ear was evaluated as normal or abnormal. Abnormal ear was agan cassfied according to their findings. If one or more findings were present, it was classified by their dominant pathologic findings and it includes- retraction, perforation, effusion and tympanosclerosis.All age groups were included. Previous history of surgery cases was also included except ventilation tube insertion.Otoscopy was performed in all patients in such ears and the status of contralateral ear was noted. Statistical analysis was performed by simple manual analysis using frequency and percentage. Results Out of 750 patients, 64.4% were male and 35.6% were female. Regarding types of COM, 36.0% were squamous type. In 68.4% of the patient, the contralateral ear was found to have some form of abnormalities. In mucosal type of COM, 62.9% patients had abnormal contralateral ear while in squamous type, 71.4% patients had abnormal contralateral ear. The most common findings on contralateral ear in both group of
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