The effect of age on hearing function was assessed in 897 patients wit
h chronic otitis media. Preoperatively, 3% of chronic ears were found
to be totally deaf, anacusis being most frequent in patients over 60 y
ears of age. Severe sensorineural hearing loss (preoperative bone cond
uction thresholds worse than 30 dB) was observed in 10% of the patient
s, and the mean bone conduction thresholds elevated with increasing ag
e. Sensorineural hearing loss was significantly more common in patient
s with cholesteatoma than in patients with chronic otitis media withou
t cholesteatoma. Conductive hearing loss was less severe in paediatric
patients than in patients over 30 years of age. Postoperative hearing
results of paediatric patients did not differ significantly from thos
e of adults. In contrast to some earlier studies, average postoperativ
e hearing gain was as good in elderly patients as in younger patients.