Abstract
Clinical findings and bone conduction thresholds were studied in 28 patients, including 20 (22 ears) with acute otitis media (AOM) and 8 (8 ears) with otitis media with effusion (OME).
The results were as follows:
1) Upper respiratory infection or common cold like symptoms were noted in 75% of the cases.
2) Blisters, subepithelial bleeding or erosion of the tympanic membrane and/or the external ear canal were found in 23.3%, and remarkable bulging of the tympanic membrane in 26.7% of the cases.
3) 17.9% of the cases complained of vertigo.
4) There were no significant differences among five frequencies (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4kHz) in mean value of bone conduction thresholds at the first visit, in that of air-bone gap and in that of the degrees of improvement of bone conduction thresholds after treatment.
5) After treatment, 73.9% showed complete recovery of bone conduction hearing loss.
6) The raised bone conduction thresholds may not be due to inner ear damage in cases showing remarkable improvement of bone conduction thresholds immediately after removal of effusion by myringotomy. This phenomenon may be due to effect of middle ear effusion on round window and/or ossicles.
