Prevalence Of External Auditory Canal Osteomas In Winter Swimmers

Objective: This paper mainly discuss the prevalence of external auditory canalosteomas in a population of winter swimmers.Then analysis the factors associated withthe onset and the severity of external auditory canal osteomas. The purpose is to guidethe winter swimming enthusiasts to prevent the occurrence of the external auditorycanal osteomas.Methods:1.There are three hundred and sixty six winter swimming enthusiasts(about62.0%males and38.0%females; age distributions: about3.8%were≤40,14.8%were41to50,23.2%were51to60,58.2%were>60years). They filled in the questionnaires(personal information, swimming habits, dug ears habits, past history diseases andfamily history diseases, etc.). Questionnaires were correlated with otoscopic findings.2. The degree of stenosis of the external auditory canal was used to describe theseverity of the external auditory canal osteoma.. A simple grading system was devised,based on the cross-sectional surface area of the remaining effective percentage about theexternal auditory canal. Grades of normal, mild, moderate and severe corresponded to100%,99%to66%,65%to33%, and less than33%effective patent surface area,respectively.Results:1. There was a3.2%overall prevalence of external auditory canal osteomas in thestudy. Of23ears with osteomas, about78.3%were males, and21.7%were females.2. Of twenty-three ears with osteomas, about34.8%were mild,52.2%weremoderate and13.0%were severe. Of individuals who had swum for ten years or less,about98.9%had normal ear canals and there was no severe ear canal stenosis. Incomparison, in the group who had swum for longer than twenty years, about86.8%hadnormal ear canals and the severe ear canal stenosis accounted for about2.6%. 3. There was no external auditory canal osteoma in the protective group with betterprotective effect while there were five ears of osteomas with general protective effect,accounted for about21.7%. There were eighteen ears of external auditory canalosteomas in the group without ear protection measures and with protection measures buthad little or no effect, accounted for about78.3%. The differences of protectionmeasures and protective effect had statistical meaning to the impact of external auditorycanal osteomas.4. In this study there was significant between the time of winter swimming, days ofwinter swimming per week, time of winter swimming per day, dug ears habits, otitismedia, otitis externa, external auditory canal eczema, the site of external auditory canalosteoma, family history of osteoma and the impact on the pathogenesis of the externalauditory canal osteomas. But there was no significant between the difference of age, sex,the poses of swimming, other parts of the hyperostosis, family history of hyperostosisand the impact on the external auditory canal osteomas.5. Of the factors related to the pathogenesis of the external auditory canal osteomas,there was no statistical meaning between the time in the water of winter swimming perday and the severity of external auditory canal osteomas.Conclusion:1. There was a3.2%overall prevalence of external auditory canal osteomas in thestudy.2. The amounts of time individuals spend swimming in the winter, days ofswimming per week, otitis externa are the risk factors to external auditory canalosteomas. A positive association exists between these factors and incidence and theseverity of external auditory canal osteomas.3. Protective measures of ears and protective effect are the conservatory factors toexternal auditory canal osteomas. There is a negative association between these twofactors and the presence and the severity of external auditory canal osteomas.