Surgical approaches to treating otitis media in the only hearing ear of patients with contralateral hearing loss.

The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the surgical procedures used to treat the only hearing ears of two patient cohorts diagnosed with otitis media in the last twenty years. Clinical, surgical, and follow-up data of 15 patients with otitis media in the only hearing ear who underwent middle ear surgery prior to 2000 (Cohort A) and 13 patients with a similar condition (Cohort B) who underwent middle ear surgery between 2000 and 2013 were retrospectively collected, analyzed, and compared. Mean preoperative air conduction (AC) and bone conduction of the patients in Cohort B was 61 ± 18.7 and 20 ± 15.7 dBHL, respectively. Mean preoperative and postoperative air bone gap was 43.21 ± 13.2 dBHL and 12.66 ± 3.93 dBHL, respectively. The success rate of the surgical procedures in this patient cohort was 85%. Surgery of the only hearing ear in patients with otitis media is safe and effective if performed carefully.