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Postoperative tinnitus dynamics in chronic otitis media patients with and without tinnitus
Yuting Tao1, Tongxiang Diao1, Lin Han1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, People's Hospital of Peking University, Beijing, China.
Background:
Tinnitus is a common symptom in patients of chronic otitis media (COM), but data regarding its dynamics after middle ear surgery is limited. Furthermore, the mechanism of new-onset tinnitus post-surgery surgery remains unclear.
Aim:
To analyze postoperative tinnitus changes and contributing factors in COM patients.
Materials And Methods:
Clinical statistics were collected from 55 COM patients. Tinnitus severity was evaluated using the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) preoperatively and follow-up points (7 days, 1 month and 6 months postoperatively). Statistical analysis was performed.
Results:
Among 28 patients with preexisting tinnitus, 20 cases (71.43%) reported tinnitus improvement 6 months post-surgery. THI scores, along with emotional and catastrophic subscale scores, were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Among the 27 patients without preoperative tinnitus, 8 (29.6%) developed transient new-onset tinnitus, which resolved completely within 3 months. Patients of new-onset tinnitus showed better preoperative hearing thresholds than those without new-onset tinnitus (p < 0.05). No significant predictors were identified for the improvement of preexisting tinnitus.
Conclusion And Significance:
Surgery alleviates preexisting tinnitus in most COM patients, especially reducing emotional burden. Patients developing new-onset tinnitus exhibit better preoperative hearing, potentially due to transient conductive hearing loss.
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