Acquired irreversible sensorineural hearing loss associated with otitis media with effusion.

The development of irreversible sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in three patients having chronic otitis media with effusion of the serous or mucoid type is described. Anamnestic, clinical, and laboratory investigations revealed no evidence of known etiologic factors, diseases, or conditions that could have induced inner ear damage. It seems that the pathogenetic mechanism of this complication of chronic otitis media with effusion is penetration of infectious agents or their toxic products from the middle ear to the inner ear through the round window membrane. The SNHL may be of different types and degrees, from a high-tone hearing loss to complete anacusis. The development of SNHL was not prevented or influenced by the insertion of tympanostomy tubes.