Assessment of senses of hearing and balance in chronic suppurative otitis media

Abstract

Chronic suppurative otitis media is among the most frequent illnesses treated in ENT wards. To establish the diagnosis, otomicroscopy alone usually suffice. Assessing the sense of hearing, often the sense of balance, too, is mandatory. Assessment of hearing will show the extent of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Apart from this, sometimes, when the finding is not obvious, it is necessary to conduct audiological investigation in more detail in order to establish whether the diagnosis of chronic suppurative otitis media is correct. Existence and extent of conductive hearing loss or confIrmation of tympanic membrane perforation by tympanometry can help a great deal. Also, some new results about the site of perforation and the middle ear volume influence on conductive hearing loss may help have a better insight into chronic suppurative otitis media. Assessing the sense of balance may show dysfunctions with not yet necessarily permanent damage: perilymphatic fistula and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Unilateral or bilateral damage may be diagnosed with appropriate tests of vestibuloocular reflex (VOR): spontaneous nystagmus, head impulse test, head shaking test. These bedside tests do not require bulky, expensive equipment for stimulus delivery or special equipment for recording nystagmus. In addition, their significance is their ability to provide enough information without performing caloric testing which is contraindicated in chronic suppurative otitis media.

Keywords

• chronic suppurative otitis media
• audiometry
• tympanic membrane perforation
• conductive hearing loss
• bedside vestibular tests
• perilymphatic fistula