Effect of ear surgery on bone conduction thresholds of patients with chronic middle ear disease

To determine the effects of surgical treatment on bone conduction thresholds in patients with chronic middle ear disease. This prospective quasi experimental study included 83 patients of chronic middle ear disease, which were surgically treated at the department of otolaryngology of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Rawalpindi, between May 2007 to May 2010. The preoperative and postoperative bone conduction thresholds were obtained one day before and six months after the surgical procedure and the data was analyzed in various ways to determine any statistical difference by applying paired t test. Statistical significance was accepted if p value is <0.05. Statistically significant deterioration in mean bone conduction thresholds was found only with radical mastoidectomy at 4000 Htz. There was no change in mean bone conduction thresholds in 68 [82%] of patients. A total of 7 [8.4%] patients showed improvement whereas 8 [9.6%] patients showed worsening of postoperative bone conduction thresholds. Mean improvement in bone conduction thresholds was 16.25 db [range 10 to 22.5 dB] whereas mean deterioration of 14.68 dB [range 10 to 30 dB] were noted. The surgical treatment of chronic middle ear disease does not affect bone conduction thresholds in majority of the patients