Prognostic factors in complicated and uncomplicated chronic otitis media

The aim of the present study was to determine the factors that make a patient of chronic suppurative otitis media more susceptible to the development of a complication.

A prospective study of 125 patients of both complicated and uncomplicated cases of chronic suppurative otitis media who underwent mastoid surgery was undertaken to study the percentage proportion of various complications and to correlate various variables, such as age, sex, duration of ear discharge, otoscopy, operative findings, state of pneumatization, and microbiology of the ear.

It was found that patients with complicated ear disease had ear discharge for a shorter duration compared with those without complications. The difference was statistically significant (P < .05). There was no significant difference in the otoscopic findings in both the groups. At surgery, presence of granulation tissue was significantly seen in the group with complications (P < .05). Radiologically, degree of mastoid pneumatization had no significant difference in the two groups, except the presence of lytic lesion in patients more than 15 years of age in the group with complications. Bacteriological examination showed significant isolation of anaerobes in patients with complications (P < .01).

A history of ear discharge for a short duration in a younger patient less than 15 years of age, the presence of anaerobes in the ear discharge, and granulation tissue at surgery increase the probability of development of a complication in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media.