2001 Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 48-53
We examined bacteria in aural discharge before and after surgery in 130 ears of 122 patients with chronic otitis media from 1997 to 1999. These ears consisted of 28 ears with cholesteatoma, 62 ears with chronic supprative otitis media (CSOM), and 40 ears with postoperative CSOM.
Preoperatively, pathogenic bacteria were detected in 77.7% of all ears. Coagulasenegative staphylococci and gram positive rods were found most frequently.P. aeruginosawas isolated in 13 ears and MRSA in 3 ears. Postoperatively, bacteria were isolated in 47.7% of all ears, most frequently in ears with postoperative CSOM. Change of microbial flora was found in approximately 30% of ears with coagulase negative staphylococci and gram positive rods. These bacteria disappeared, but compromised pathogens appeared postoperatively. The majority of ears with infection ofP. aeruginosaand MRSA became uninfected 3 months after surgery. In ears with postoperative CSOM, two types of surgery were performed: total middle ear reconstruction and tympanoplasty without middle ear reconstruction. Bacteria were found in more than half ears of the two groups postoperatively, although almost all the cases in these groups became uninfected one year after surgery.
