Ototoxicity of a Single Fulminant Episode of Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Long-Term Follow-Up

/Objectives: Recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) in children is known to cause cumulative cochlear and vestibular injury. Whether a single fulminant episode severe enough to require surgical intervention produces an analogous long-term audiovestibular signature, and whether infection severity contributes to outcome independently of cumulative episode count, is unclear. The present study addressed this gap.

Long-term cochlear and vestibular follow-up after fulminant acute otitis media in children is warranted; audiologists should be aware that even a single severe episode may carry lasting inner-ear consequences requiring monitoring.

Evidence of lasting hearing and balance damage from a single severe middle-ear infection episode challenges the assumption that such events are fully reversible and may support more aggressive audiologic follow-up protocols in pediatric otology.

1. 01Single fulminant acute otitis media episodes in children can result in long-term cochlear or vestibular damage.
2. 02Study used long-term follow-up design to assess lasting inner-ear effects after surgical intervention.
3. 03Both hearing (cochlear) and balance (vestibular) outcomes were evaluated.
4. 04Findings may support routine long-term audiologic monitoring after severe pediatric ear infections.
5. 05The severity and surgical nature of the episode distinguishes this from typical otitis media cases.

PMID

42345632

DOI

10.3390/audiolres16030093.

Journal

Audiology Research

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

4

Population

Children who experienced a single fulminant acute otitis media episode requiring surgical intervention

Intervention

Long-term audiologic and vestibular follow-up after fulminant acute otitis media