Study the Effect of Tubotympanic Disease on Bone Conduction Threshold

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Medical Research

Background:

• Tubo-tympanic disease affects the middle ear cleft, potentially impairing bone conduction, particularly in long-standing cases.
• This condition primarily impacts the inertial ossicular component of the bone conduction mechanism.
• Understanding the relationship between disease duration and hearing loss is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of tubotympanic disease on bone conduction threshold (sensorineural hearing loss).
• To analyze the correlation between the duration of tubotympanic disease and the severity of bone conduction threshold deterioration.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-four patients diagnosed with tubotympanic disease were included in the study.
• Pre-operative pure-tone audiometry (PTA) was conducted to assess hearing thresholds.
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the results, with significance levels set at P < 0.05 (marginally significant), P < 0.01 (significant), and P < 0.001 (highly significant).

Main Results:

• Bone conduction thresholds at all frequencies significantly increased (P < 0.05) with the duration of ear discharge.
• Diseased ears showed significantly lower bone conduction thresholds compared to normal ears across all frequencies.
• Progressive increase in conductive hearing loss and mixed hearing loss was observed with longer durations of ear discharge (>11 years).

Conclusions:

• Tubotympanic disease leads to a significant deterioration of bone conduction thresholds, particularly at higher frequencies, with increasing disease duration.
• The duration of ear discharge is a critical factor in the progression of hearing loss in tubotympanic disease.
• Patients with safe chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and poor bone conduction thresholds (BCT) are most affected at higher frequencies.