Study of audiological profile in patients with chronic adenotonsillitis

Abstract

Background: Adenoid hypertrophy is one of the common causes for childhood morbidity.1 Its pathological effects include rhinitis, rhino sinusitis, otitis media and Otitis Media with Effusion (OME).1OME is the chronic accumulation of mucus within the middle ear and sometimes the mastoid air cell system. ET dysfunction is one of the aetiologies for OME.2Looking into the ear of children at the earliest is beneficial and for this purpose audiological assessment is helpful.
Method: The sample consisted of 70 children who presented with symptoms of chronic adenotonsillitis . This prospective study was conducted from November 2019 to may 2021 in Department of ENT at Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences Ballari . The age group of the study sample is between 5-16years.
Results: There was statistically significant positive correlation with chronic adenotonsillar hypertrophy grading and hearing impairment. 82.2% had either grade III or Grade IV Adenoid Hypertrophy and tympanometry type B & C curve had maximum of grade III or IV AH.
Conclusion: Hearing loss ranging from 16-55 dB HL is noted in cases of chronic adenotonsillitis in which majority of them belongs to minimal hearing impairment which will be asymptomatic and if it is prolonged can cause significant hearing loss and might result in
subsequent delay of speech, language, communications skills and poor academic performance. Hence audiological screening for children diagnosed with chronic adenotonsillitis needs to be made mandatory to detect this silent hearing loss.