Impact of ear protection on occurrence of exostosis in surfers: an observational prospective study of 242 ears

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of ear protection (earplug and surf hood) in preventing the development of external auditory exostosis (EAE) in surfers.

METHODS

We performed a prospective observational study. Volunteer surfers were recruited from June 2016 to October 2017 on the Brittany coast in France. Each participant filled in a questionnaire and underwent otoscopic digitalized photography to establish the degree of external ear obstruction by two different practitioners. The correlation between the percentage of external ear obstruction and the time spent in water with or without protection was evaluated. Risk factors of EAE were assessed.

RESULTS

Two hundred and forty-two ears were analysed. The incidence of EAE was 89.96% with an average rate of obstruction of 37.65%. Risk factors for EAE were male sex (p = 0.0005), number of years practicing surf (p < 0.0001) and symptoms of ear obstruction (p = 0.0358). A significant correlation was found between EAE severity and number of hours spent in water without any protection (earplugs or surf hood) (p < 0.0001). No correlation was found between EAE severity and time spent in water with earplugs (p = 0.6711) but a correlation was identified between obstruction and time spent in water with surf hood (p = 0.0358).

CONCLUSIONS

Wearing earplugs is an effective way to prevent EAE in surfers unlike surf hood.

Osteolytic lesions on the os petrosum of a Bronze Age individual from La Llana cave (Northern Spain) compatible with a possible case of otitis media. A multifaceted methodological approach

OBJECTIVE

To encourage the use of different methodological approaches for the identification of paleopathological lesions and to evaluate osteolytic lesions found on a temporal bone from La Llana cave (Spain).

MATERIALS

Cranial remains recovered from from La Llana cave (Spain) dated to the Bronze Age, 3300 ± 25 BP (1631-1509 cal BC).

METHODS

The cranium underwent macroscopic, microscopic and computed tomography scan examinations.

RESULTS

The Tegmen tympani of the left temporal bone is present but is missing on the right. Both cochleae are intact. Both the right and left temporal bones display osteolytic lesions, with the left Tegmen tympani displaying deep and profuse pits on the endocranial surface, exposing the ear channel.

CONCLUSIONS

The lesions are compatible with otitis media (atticitis). By using different methods of analysis, the presence and effects of infection were identified.

SIGNIFICANCE

This systematically described case contributes to our understanding of disease in the past and describes otitis-related lesions in archeological contexts for comparative purposes.

LIMITATIONS

The fragmentary and damaged cranial remains rendered evaluation difficult and diagnosis tentative.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

The use of different approaches to diagnose otitis media in archeological skeletal collections is recommended to improve the knowledge of health status and lifestyle of past populations.