Cochlear implantation in deaf patients with eosinophilic otitis media using subtotal petrosectomy and mastoid obliteration.

We investigated the usefulness and safety of our cochlear implantation method for two deaf patients with eosinophilic otitis media. The surgical approach was a subtotal petrosectomy to remove the theater of eosinophilic infiltration and to prevent leaching of foreign substances and entry of stimuli that are the cause of eosinophilic inflammations. The operative cavity was obliterated with abdominal fat. There were no complications or recurrent inflammation following surgery in the cases of both patients. It was confirmed by CT scan that the eustachian tube was closed and the operative cavity remained obliterated with abdominal fat. Following the procedure, the hearing threshold results of the two patients were 30 and 34 dB. Cochlear implantation procedures in this report for deaf patients resulting from eosinophilic otitis media may be effective and safe. Using steroids before surgery may be the better option. To further confirm the efficacy and safety of our surgical concept, we need to administer this treatment concept for a large number of cases in a future study.