Post operative sensorineural hearing loss after middle ear surgery

Mild Sensorineural hearing loss subsequent to middle ear surgery has till today been an important complication to middle ear surgery inspite of advances in surgical techniques, operative instruments, monitoring devices and better treatment options. Lack of proper knowledge about this problem is because of under reporting of exact magnitude of hearing loss on account of difficulty in measuring hearing threshold of patients in immediate postoperative period as it may lead to post operative infection and discomfort to the patient.In our study of 80 cases carried out at ENT department, Baroda Medical College and S.S.G Hospital, Baroda, we have utilized weber's lateralisation principle and measured bone conduction thresholds of patients undergoing middle ear surgery for evaluation of postoperative Sensorineural loss as a result of middle ear surgery. Probable causes of post operative hearing loss in a patient undergoing middle ear surgery are, noise due to drills, continuous suction irrigation, vibrations, inner ear injury, manipulation of ossicles and a few unknown reasons.