Pathologic Changes of the Peripheral Vestibular System Secondary to Chronic Otitis Media

Abstract

The findings of our study suggest that the decrease in the number of vestibular sensory cells and dark cells could be the cause of the clinical symptoms of imbalance of some patients with chronic otitis media.

Extended high‐frequency hearing loss following the first episode of otitis media

“…Worldwide, the incidence of acute otitis media is 10.85%, accounting for over 709 million new cases every year . It is associated with several acute complications and long‐term sequelae, which include hearing loss, delayed speech and neurologic development, tinnitus, and dizziness . In the past years, several studies have hypothesized the presence of high‐frequency hearing loss as a potential long‐term sequela of acute otitis media .…”

“…Most of the studies aiming to evaluate patients who had recurrent acute otitis media or chronic otitis media with effusion using standard audiograms (250 Hz–8 kHz) failed to demonstrate significant threshold changes as compared with controls . However, studies using extended high‐frequency audiometry (8 kHz–16 kHz) reported downward threshold shifts in patients who had a history of recurrent acute otitis media.…”

“…[4][5][6] It is associated with several acute complications and long-term sequelae, which include hearing loss, delayed speech and neurologic development, tinnitus, and dizziness. [7][8][9][10] In the past years, several studies have hypothesized the presence of high-frequency hearing loss as a potential long-term sequela of acute otitis media. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In patients with chronic otitis media, the presence of high-frequency hearing loss has been stablished in the past, presumably due to passage of toxins, bacterial products, and inflammatory mediators to the inner ear through the round window membrane.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] In the past years, several studies have hypothesized the presence of high-frequency hearing loss as a potential long-term sequela of acute otitis media. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In patients with chronic otitis media, the presence of high-frequency hearing loss has been stablished in the past, presumably due to passage of toxins, bacterial products, and inflammatory mediators to the inner ear through the round window membrane. 9,11 Thus, it has been suggested that that progression of the inflammation from the middle ear to the inner ear may occur during acute otitis media inflammation as well, potentially leading to damage to the sensorial epithelium in the basal turn of the cochlea.…”

“…[12][13][14] Most of the studies aiming to evaluate patients who had recurrent acute otitis media or chronic otitis media with effusion using standard audiograms (250 Hz-8 kHz) failed to demonstrate significant threshold changes as compared with controls. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] However, studies using extended high-frequency audiometry (8 kHz-16 kHz) reported downward threshold shifts in patients who had a history of recurrent acute otitis media. The extended high-frequency audiometry, although not validated for clinical use, is used to monitor patients under a high risk of hearing loss (who work in noisy environments, who will be subjected to chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or who have tinnitus with normal thresholds in the standard audiometry).…”