Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Eosinophilic Otitis Media

Masahiro Takahashi^1*, Yasuhiro Arai¹, Naoko Sakuma¹, Daisuke Sano¹, Goshi Nishimura¹, Takahide Taguchi¹, Nobuhiko Oridate¹, Satoshi Iwasaki², Shin-Ichi Usami³

¹Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
²Department of Otorhinolaryngology, International University of Health and Welfare, Mita Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
³Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/ijohns.2015.41006                

Abstract

It is known that cochlear implantation for deaf patients with eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is safe and can provide good speech perception. However, the best timing of implant surgery in patients with EOM is not yet known. The aim of this case report is to suggest the appropriate timing of the surgery in EOM patients with deaf. Cochlear implantation was indicated in two patients with EOM. One underwent cochlear implantation in the absence of any ear discharge. In the other case, implant surgery was delayed for three years due to persistent ear discharge. No complications related to implant device or skin flap were observed in either case. The speech recognition score after implantation was good in the first case and poor in the second case. Perioperative complications were manageable even in the patient with persistent ear discharge. However, the delay in implant surgery due to the persistent ear discharge resulted in a poor speech recognition score. Early implantation should be considered even in EOM patients with ear discharge, although the presence of active middle ear inflammation is regarded as one of the contraindications for implantation according to the current Japanese guidelines.

Keywords

Eosinophilic Otitis Media, Cochlear Implantation, Speech Recognition

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Tomioka, S., Kobayashi, T. and Takasaka, T. (1997) Intractable Otitis Media in Patients with Bronchial Asthma (Eosinophilic Ottis Media). In: Sanna, M., Ed., Cholesteatoma and Mastoid Surgery, CICI Edizioni International, Rome, 851-853.
[2]	Nagamine, H., Iino, Y., Kojima, C., Miyazawa, T. and Iida, T. (2002) Clinical Characteristics of So-Called Eosinophilic Otitis Media. Auris Nasus Larynx, 29, 19-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0385-8146(01)00124-9
[3]	Nakagawa, T., Matubara, A., Shiratsuchi, H., Kakazu, Y., Nakashima, T., Koike, K., Umezaki, T. and Komune, S. (2006) Intractable Otitis Media with Eosinophils: Importance of Diagnosis and Validity of Treatment for Hearing Preservation. ORL, 68, 118-122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000091215
[4]	Suzuki, H., Matsutani, S. and Kawase, T. (2004) Epidemiologic Surveillance of “Eosinophilic Otitis Media” in Japan. Otology Japan, 14, 112-117. (In Japanese)
[5]	Iwasaki, S., Nagura, M. and Mizuta, K. (2006) Cochlear Implantation in a Patient with Eosinophilic Otitis Media. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 263, 365-369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00405-005-1006-2
[6]	Iino, Y., Matsutani, S., Matsubara, A., Nakagawa, T. and Nonaka, M. (2011) Diagnostic Criteria of Eosinophilic Otitis Media, a Newly Recognized Middle Ear Disease. Auris Nasus Larynx, 38, 456-461. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anl.2010.11.016
[7]	Iino, Y., Usubuchi, H., Kodama, K., Takizawa, K., Kanazawa, T. and Ohta, Y. (2008) Bone Conduction Hearing Level in Patients with Eosinophilic Otitis Media Associated with Bronchial Asthma. Otology Neurotology, 29, 949-952. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0b013e318185fb0d
[8]	Iino, Y., Usubuchi, H., Kodama, K., Kanazawa, H., Takizawa, K., Kanazawa, T. and Ohta, Y. (2010) Eoshinophilic Inflammation in the Middle Ear Induces Deterioration of Bone—Conduction Hearing Level in Patients with Eosinophilic Otitis Media. Otology Neurotology, 31, 100-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0b013e3181bc3781
[9]	Matubara, A., Nishizawa, H., Kurose, A., Nakagawa, T., Takahata, J. and Sasaki, A. (2014) An Experimental Study of Inner Ear Injury in an Animal Model of Eosinophilic Otitis Media. Acta Oto-Laryngologica, 134, 227-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00016489.2013.859395
[10]	Himi, T., Harabuchi, Y., Shintani, T., Yamaguchi, T., Yoshida, I. and Kataura, A. (1997) Surgical Strategy of Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Chronic Middle Ear Disease. Audiology and Neurotology, 2, 410-417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000259266
[11]	Kojima, H., Sakurai, Y., Rikitake, M., Tanaka, Y., Kawano, A. and Moriyama, H. (2010) Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Chronic Otitis Media. Auris Nasus Larynx, 37, 415-421. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anl.2010.01.009
[12]	Keithley, E. and Haris, J. (1996) Late Sequelae of Cochlear Infection. Laryngoscope, 106, 341-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00005537-199603000-00019