Labyrinthitis in chronic otitis media.

Labyrinthitis is the most frequent complication of chronic otitis media (COM). Retrospective analysis of 1,210 patients operated due to COM was carried out. Circumscribed labyrinthitis was found in 17.2% and deafness in 1.2% of patients. To evaluate the effect of labyrinthitis on bone conduction (BC) we measured BC threshold in a group of 140 patients with unilateral COM without labyrinthitis and in a group of 42 patients with unilateral COM with labyrinthitis. BC threshold of the healthy ear was subtracted from the BC threshold of the affected ear in the same patient to eliminate presbyacusis. There was no significant difference in bone conduction threshold between the patients with circumscribed labyrinthitis and patients with COM without labyrinthitis. The incidence of labyrinthitis was higher in patients with cholesteatoma than in patients without cholesteatoma. Management of labyrinthine fistula is presented.