CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH UNSAFE CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIAAND MANAGEMENT OUTCOMES

Background- Patients with unsafe COM present with chronic otorrhoea and if cholesteatoma is left untreated, it may lead to potentially life threatening complications. We aimed to assess the clinicopathological prole of patients presenting with unsafe COM at our tertiary care centre. Methodology-This study was conducted as an observational study on patients with COM active squamosal disease at Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal during the study period of 18 months i.e. from August 2022 to January 2024.Detailed history taking and examination was done. Intraoperative ndings were noted. Results- Most common nding in external auditory canal was purulent discharge in 37.8% cases in right ear and 23.2% cases in left ear. Tuning fork tests were deranged in majority of cases. Weber's was lateralized to right in 51.2% cases and to left in 43.9% cases. Surgical ndings revealed presence of cholesteatoma, involvement of mastoid and ossicular erosion in 100% cases. Widening of aditus, involvement of Prussak space, Erosion of scutum, dural plate, lateral semicircular canal and sinus plate was noted in 89%, 76.8%, 47.6%, 30.5%, 28% and 24.4% cases respectively. High jugular bulb was noted in 19.5% cases and intracranial complications were reported in 2.4% cases. Conclusions- Patients with unsafe COM usually present with cholesteatoma and ossicular necrosis. Involvement of mastoid and widening of aditus are not uncommon. The clinicopathological ndings may vary depending upon the extent of disease and bone involvement. Few cases with delay in presentation may have associated intracranial complications.