Contralateral Ear Findings in Chronic Otitis Media

Objectives: Chronic otitis media (COM) reveals a spectrum of otoscopic findings, and both ears may be affected to a different degree. The analysis of contralateral ear in patients with COM is important to detect the early signs of the disease. This may enable the follow-up and treatment of abnormalities in contralateral ear without delay. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the otoscopic and audiologic findings of contralateral ears of patients with COM.
Methods: The institutional data of patients who underwent surgical treatment between 2014 and 2017 due to COM were reviewed. Suppurative ears with cholesteatoma, polyps, and otorrhea refractory to medical treatment and ears with dry middle ear mucosa, with otorrhea responsive to medical treatment, and without cholesteatoma were divided into two groups (Group 1 and Group 2, respectively). All patients were examined with regard to the presence of perforation, retraction, myringosclerosis, atrophy, and audiological results before the groups were compared.
Results: Approximately 50% of contralateral ears of patients with COM showed abnormalities at an otoscopic examination in both groups. Tympanic membrane retraction in Group 1 was greater than in Group 2, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Both the mean air and bone conduction thresholds of the contralateral ears in Group 1 were also found to be elevated when compared with Group 2, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion: COM may be seen bilaterally due to the same predisposing factors affecting the ears. Therefore, detection, follow-up, and early treatment of abnormalities of contralateral ear associated with otitis media have clinical importance in the prevention or delaying progression of these abnormalities to COM.

Kronik Otitis Mediada Kontralateral Kulak Bulgularý

Amaç: Kronik otitis media (KOM) bulgular spektrumu gösteren ve her iki kulaðý etkilebilen bir hastalýktýr. KOM tespit edilen kulaklarda kontralateral kulak bulgularýnýn deðerlendirimesi hastalýðýn bu kulaktaki öncü belirtilerinin belirlenmesi, takip ve erken tedavi olasýlýðý tanýmasý açýsýndan önemlidir. Bu çalýþmada KOM nedeniyle opere edilen hastalarýn kontralateral kulak bulgularýný (otoskopik ve odyolojik) araþtýrmayý amaçladýk.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: 2014-2017 yýllarý arasýnda kliniðimzde KOM nedeniyle opere edilen hastalarýn datalarý retrospektif olarak incelendi. Süpüratif, tedaviye yanýtsýz, kolesteatomlu kötü kulaklar ve kuru, tedaviye yanýt veren otoreli, kolesteatomsuz kulaklar iki grupta toplandý. Her iki gruptaki kontralateral kulaklar perforasyon, retraksiyon, miringoskleroz ve atrofi açýsýndan deðerlendirildi ve gruplar karþýlaþtýrýldý.
Bulgular: Her iki grupta, kontralateral kulaklarýn yaklaþýk yarýsýnda patolojik otoskopik bulgulara rastlandý. Timpanik membran retraksiyonu, özellikle kötü kulak grubunda kuru kulak grubuna kýyasla anlamlý yüksekti (p<0.05). Hava ve kemik yolu eþikleri de benzer þekilde kötü kulak grubunda anlamlý olarak yüksekti (p<0.05).
Sonuç: KOM, ayný predispozan faktörlerden etkilenmeleri sebebiyle bilateral görülebilen bir hastalýktýr. Bu nedenle KOM tespit edilen hastalarda kontralateral patolojik kulak bulgularýnýn bilinmesi, takibi ve erken tedavisi, bu kulaklarda olasý KOM geliþiminin önüne geçmede ya da süreci geciktirmede klinik öneme sahiptir.