CORRELATING THE SITE OF TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PERFORATION WITH HEARING LOSS

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the various sites of perforation in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM)-Safe type and to study the relationship of the perforator quadrant with the degree of hearing loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross sectional prospective study conducted between June 2014 - June 2015 in the department of ENT; 103 ears of 88 patients with tympanic membrane perforation-chronic suppurative otitis media (Safe type) at Chettinad hospital and research institute; Chennai. RESULTS: The sites/locations of perforations on the tympanic membrane were correlated with their meanhearing levels (dB) using chi-square test. Out of 103 perforated tympanic membranes, 29 had all four quadrant perforation (28.16%). Out of these 29 patients 7 had severe conductive hearing loss (24%) and 16 had moderate conductive hearing loss (55%). CONCLUSION: The location of perforation on the tympanic membrane has effect on the magnitude of hearing loss. It has a significant impact in chronic suppurative otitis media.