Evaluation of vestibular function in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media: safe type

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media is one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases in the globe, affects a wide range of racial and ethnic groups and has a high morbidity rate and may lead to intracranial and extracranial problems. Aim and objectives: To evaluate the function of vestibular system in patients with safe type chronic suppurative otitis media. Subjects and methods: The current study conducted on 50 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media presented at the Audiovestibular medicine units of Assuit University Hospital and Al-Azhar University Hospital, Assuit. They were divided into: study group consisted of 30 patients, having chronic dry suppurative otitis media and control group that comprised twenty healthy subjects, with apparently normal hearing sensitivity. All participants were subjected to evaluation the vestibular system functions using VNG, vHIT and B.C cVEMP. Result: There was no statistical significance difference between studied and control groups in the result of vHIT (anterior, posterior and lateral canal). Regarding VNG: All patients showed absent spontaneous nystagmus. Only two patients (6.7%) with abnormal HSN. One patient showed positional nystagmus. Other patient showed positioning nystagmus. Caloric test was pathologic in (6.7%) two patients. There was no statistical significance difference between study and control group in p1 latency, N1latency, N1-P1 AMP (peak amplitude), asymmetry ratio according to result of cVEMP.