Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Cholesteatoma.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Middle ear cholesteatoma can potentially affect inner ear function.
• Understanding the relationship between cholesteatoma and sensorineural hearing loss is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between middle ear cholesteatoma and sensorineural hearing loss.
• To determine if patient age, cholesteatoma growth pattern, or air-bone gap size influence inner ear impairment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at a tertiary hospital.
• 115 patients with unilateral middle ear cholesteatoma and normal contralateral ears were evaluated.
• Otoendoscopy and pure-tone audiometry were used to assess hearing thresholds.

Main Results:

• Cholesteatoma-affected ears showed significantly greater bone conduction (BC) thresholds compared to contralateral normal ears across all tested frequencies.
• These BC threshold differences were significant across various cholesteatoma growth patterns, except for one specific group at 500 Hz.
• A direct, moderate correlation was observed between the air-bone gap size in the cholesteatoma ear and the degree of inner ear damage.

Conclusions:

• Middle ear cholesteatoma is associated with elevated BC thresholds, indicating sensorineural hearing loss.
• The observed inner ear impairment is independent of cholesteatoma growth patterns.
• A larger air-bone gap in the affected ear correlates with more substantial inner ear damage.