Periotic sensory dysfunction via postauricular approach after otitis media surgery.

Objectives/Hypothesis To assess the somatosensory dysfunction of the auricle and periotic skin in patients undergoing otitis media surgery. Study Design Retrospective study. Methods Symptoms of periotic somatosensory function after surgery were investigated in 100 patients (42 males, 58 females, mean age 41.39 years) who underwent otitis media surgery. Questionnaires on periotic somatosensory disturbance were answered after surgery at least over 1 year postoperatively. Results Of 100 tympanoplasties, all patients were completed within a postauricular approach. The highest incidence rates of periotic sensory disturbance were found in the postauricular region (75%), followed by the auricular region (20.83%); lower rates were found in the preauricular region (2.08%) and the earlobe (2.08%). Periotic somatosensory dysfunction occurred in 48 patients (48%). The most prevalent somatosensory abnormality was tactile hypoaesthesia/numbness, evident in 28% of the patients; more remarkable, inferior postauricular region. Periotic pain was reported by 21% of the cases, mostly located in the upper auricle. Compared to the recovery time of tactile hypoaesthesia (7.36 months), patients' periotic somatosensory pain improved significantly within 4.07 months, which has obvious statistical significance (P < 0.01). Conclusion The likelihood of periotic cutaneous sensory dysfunction should be emphasized to patients undergoing otitis media surgery via postauricular approaches, which occurred in nearly half of patients; the majority recovered within 1 year. Furthermore, the postauricular region is the most vulnerable location to sensory disturbance, followed by the auricular region. Functionally, periotic somatosensory pain was more easily resilient, relative to tactile hypoaesthesia/numbness.