Bilateral simultaneous hearing conservation mastoidectomy has not been previously documented. We present our experience with this procedure. Three patients with pyogenic meningitis secondary to bilateral unsafe ears had hearing preservation surgeries of both ears in a single sitting. Although ear surgery carries risk of inner ear damage, in our series there was no deterioration of inner ear function in the 6 ears operated on. The air conduction threshold improved in 3 (50%) of the ears. When meningitis results from bilateral otogenic foci as in our series, simultaneous mastoidectomy in both ears may be the preferred method of treatment to eradicate the source of infection.
LudmanH. Complications of chronic suppurative otitis media. In: ArnoldE, ed. Mawson's disease of the ear. 5th ed.London, England: Edward Arnold Publications, 1988: 437–507.
2.
NeelyJG. Complications of temporal bone infection. In: CummingsCW, ed. Otolaryngology—head and neck surgery. 2nd ed.St Louis, Mo: Mosby-Year Book, 1993: 2840–64.
3.
PalvaTKarjaJPalvaA. High tone sensorineural losses following chronic ear surgery. Arch Otolaryngol1973; 98: 176–8.
4.
TosMLauTPlateS. Sensorineural hearing loss following chronic ear surgery. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol1984; 93: 403–9.
5.
EnglishGMNorthernJLFriaTS. Chronic otitis media as a cause of sensorineural hearing loss. Arch Otolaryngol1973; 98: 18–22.
6.
BrowningG. The unsafeness of “safe” ears. J Laryngol Otol1984; 98: 23–6.
7.
KangsanarakJFooanantSRuckphaopuntKNavacharoenNTeotrakulS. Extracranial and intracranial complications of suppurative otitis media. Report of 102 cases. J Laryngol Otol1993; 107: 999–1004.
8.
SinghBMaharajTJ. Radical mastoidectomy: Its place in otitic intracranial complications. J Laryngol Otol1993; 107: 1113–8.
9.
RamonJVde TanglePFentonJEFaganPA. Mastoid surgery in the only hearing ear. Laryngoscope1996; 106: 67–70.
