Unsafe Type of Chronic Otitis Media, How Prevalent It Is?

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of unsafe type of chronic otitis media (COM) in patients with chronic ear discharge. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in August 2019 to May 2020 at ENT department, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar. All patients with more than 3 months history of ear discharge were included in the study. Unsafe COM was defined as persistent foul-smelling ear discharge for at least 3 months with attic or marginal perforation of the pars tensa, suspicious of cholesteatoma and granulation tissues on otoscopy/ otoendoscopy and/ or hearing loss of more than 30 dB on pure tone audiometry. Spss Version 22 was usecd for analysis. Results: Out of total 312 participants, age distribution showed 224 (72%) participants between 18-30 years, while 88(28%) between 31-60 years. Among 312 patients most of the participants 194 (62%) participants were male as compare to female 118 (38%) participants were female. Duration of symptoms showed 46 (15%) with duration of symptoms ≤6 months, 266 (85%) patients had duration of symptoms > 6 months. Mean duration of symptoms was 6 months with SD ± 4.212. Unsafe type COM was found in 44 (14%) participants and 268 (86%) patients did not have unsafe type COM. Conclusion: The frequency of unsafe type of COM is 14% among patients presenting with chronic ear discharge.