Incidence of KOH Positive Elements in Chronic Discharging Ear –A Retrospective Study

The term chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) refers to middle ear infections lasting more than three months that lead to perforated tympanic membrane. Low socioeconomic strata of the society are more likely to have the disease in developing countries. There have been many studies focusing on the bacterial flora of CSOM, but little is known about the mycological aspects, which have become increasingly important over the last few decades. The present study was aimed to speculate the presence of fungal flora responsible for the cases of CSOM among patients who attended the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department of our hospital a tertiary care center. This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care centre after taking the approval of the protocol review committee and institutional ethics committee. Total 100 Patients of chronic otitis media were included with no history using ear drops for last one week and using two sterile swab without touching the external auditory canal, discharge was taken from middle ear and placed in sterile container and sent for potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount and observed. The age ranged from 18 months to 87 years and the mean age was 37.27+/- 12.59 years. The study population of male is 42 (41.6%) and female is 59 (58.4%). Distribution of KOH positivity observed for 33 (32.7%) and KOH negative for the study population of 68 (67.3%). When antibacterial treatment does not seem to relieve persistent otorrhea, otologists should suspect mycotic otitis media probable cause.