Secretory otitis media and high-frequency hearing loss.

31 children (mean age 13 years; range 8.5-17.2) who had been tympanostomy treated for SOM during the years 1977-1980 were invited for follow-up examination. 29 normal age peers were enrolled as controls. The test battery included clinical pneumotoscopical examination and conventional pure-tone audiometry as well as air-conduction and electric bone-conduction high-frequency audiometry. High-frequency hearing losses (6-18 kHz) were found as sequels of SOM. The median threshold difference between the SOM group and the controls varied from 0 to 10 dB depending on the frequency. The hearing losses were considered to be of the conductive type, and probably related to changes in the tympanic membrane and the middle ear caused by SOM. On the other hand, we found also sensorineural hearing losses suggesting lesion at the cochlear level.