Purpose: To study the effect of uncomplicated chronic suppurative otit
is media on bone conduction thresholds and its relationship to the dis
ease type and duration. Patients and Methods: The differences in bone
conduction thresholds of diseased and contralateral ears were compared
in 218 patients with unilateral uncomplicated chronic suppurative oti
tis media. Pure tone audiometry was carried out after successful surge
ry on 93 patients. Results: The study showed bone conduction threshold
elevations ranging in frequency from 9.2 to 14.1 dB in the diseased e
ars. Approximately 39% of the patients had an average difference of mo
re than 10 dB for bone conduction, and 12% had an average difference o
f 20 dB or more. Significant relationships were found between threshol
d elevation and the disease type and its duration. Postoperative audio
grams showed no significant improvement in the bone conduction thresho
lds in most of the tested patients. Conclusion: This study suggests th
at chronic otitis media may result in clinically significant bone cond
uction threshold elevations that should be considered when managing un
complicated chronic suppurative otitis media. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.
B. Saunders Company.