Ear diseases can be extremely dangerous if untreated. we have state of the art facilities for the treatment of deafness and ear discharge in adults and children. We follow globally validated protocols for the treatment of otosclerosis, perforate ear drums and mastoiditis.

Otosclerosis

Otosclerosis is a common cause of deafness with an intact ear drum. When sound waves fall upon the ear drum, it vibrates. These vibrations are transmitted by a chain of 3 mobile bones called ossicles in the middle ear from the drum to the inner ear.

Immobility of stapes bone due to microscopic abnormal growth of bone in the walls of the inner ear.

This abnormal growth causes the stapes bone to become immobile or fixed. Normally the stapes vibrates freely to allow the transmission of sound to the inner ear, but when it cannot move, it prevents sound waves from reaching the inner ear fluids, and hearing is impaired. Otosclerosis affects only the ears and involves both ears usually one after another.

It occurs in both men and women but women are usually affected slightly more frequently. Otosclerosis affects people in the prime of life that is around middle age. Pregnancy is known to aggravate the situation.

Chronic Ear Infection

Cholesteatoma is a destructive and expanding epithelial cyst in the middle ear and/or mastoid process. Cholesteatomas are not cancerous butresult in the destruction of the bones of the middle ear (ossicles), as well as grow through the base of the skull into the brain. They can become infected and can result in chronically draining ears. Treatment almost always consists of surgical removal.

SURGERY of Cholesteatoma

The treatment of a cyst is total excision but if complete excision is not possible incomplete excision will result in recurrence so exteriorization (Marsupialisation) has to be done.PRINCIPLES of treatment-

1. Squamous epithelium must be excised in Total or Exteriorized.

2. Endothelium must be excised in total or interiorized i.e. put into communication with the Eustachian tube.

3. Purulent mastoiditis must be treated and Choleasteatoma cleared & cured before tympanoplasty.

Surgery of ear drum perforation (Safe CSOM)

When the patient has large hole in the ear drum, it is unlikely to close by medicines and will require an operation to close it. If the hole in the drum is not closed by operation, even though medicines and injections may temporarily stop the discharge, the hole will remain open, so that every time you get dirty water into the ear or develop a cold, the discharge is likely to recur.

Recurrent infections cause progressive deafness due to fixation (tympanosclerosis or destruction of the ossicular chain).

What is Tympanoplasty?

It is necessary to clear the underlying infection in the mastoid, correct ossicular defects and close the hole in the drum in order to restore hearing and prevent recurrent ear discharge, by a special operation known as Tympanoplasty

The operation is performed under local anaesthesia (except in children), You will be required to stay few hours in hospital.Tips for preventing discharge and hearing loss

Do not use drops if there is no discharge as severe deafness due to inner ear damage can occur.

Keep the ear constantly plugged by a large clean cotton wool ball (a small plug should not be used as it likely to fall inside) which should be changed 3 times daily. This is to prevent dirt, soap water etc. from entering.

Do not blow the nose during a cold prevent infection from nose being forced up into the ear.

RECURRENCE OF DISCHARGE IN C.S.O.M.

Every time dirty water goes into an ear with a hole in the drum, it will go straight through the hole in the drum into the middle ear and set up infection. Operative closure of the perforation is important as it prevents recurrence of discharge . Every time a patient with a perforated drum develops a cold and blows his nose, there is through and through passage of a stream of air with pus from the nose up the Eustachian Tube into the ear with recurrence of ear discharge. After operative closure of the perforation, this through and through passage of a stream of air is stopped.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sudden hearing loss (SHL) is defined as more than 30 dB hearing loss, over at least three contiguous frequencies, occuringwithin 72 hours . It occurs most frequently in the 30 to 60 year age group and affects males and females equally.Mostly Unilateral it is often accompanied with tinnitis. vertigo, or both. Hearing loss may be mild to severe and also involve different parts of the hearing frequency range. SHL may be temporary or permanent. About one third of people with SHL awaken in the morning with a hearing loss.

CAUSES :

  • Idiopathic
  • Viral
  • Partial or complete blockage of the blood circulation of the inner ear
  • Vascular Spasm

Rupture of the delicate inner ear membrane and fistulae of the round and/or oval window. Round and oval window ruptures are reported to occur when pressures from within (cerebrospinal pressure) or without (middle ear pressure) suddenly increase causing breaks in the cochlear membrane, resulting in sudden hearing loss.