E. Vartiainen et J. Vartiainen, EFFECT OF AEROBIC BACTERIOLOGY ON THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND TREATMENT RESULTS OF CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS, Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 110(4), 1996, pp. 315-318
The effect of aerobic bacteriology on the clinical presentation, compl
ications of the disease and long-term results of surgical treatment wa
s assessed in a cohort of 368 patients with chronic suppurative otitis
media. Bacteriological findings showed no significant difference betw
een child and adult patients. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in ch
olesteatoma ears more frequently than Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in chron
ic ears without cholesteatoma the situation was reversed. Bacteriologi
cal findings had no significant effect on the incidence of complicatio
ns caused by the disease. Failures after surgical treatment were most
common in Pseudomonas ears. The bacteriology had no significant effect
on pre-operative hearing levels nor post-operative hearing results. I
t was concluded that, in order to improve results of chronic ear suger
y, more attention should be paid to pre-operative conservative treatme
nt of chronically discharging ears, especially those infected by P. ae
ruginosa.