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Ototoxic Effects of Irradiation

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Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study ototoxic effect of ionizing radiation was studied in 70 ears with minimum follow up of 6 months post radiotherapy. Patients of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and with conductive deafness pre radiotherapy were excluded from the study to eliminate mechanical obstruction that may play role in Eustachian tube dysfunction. We found that Eustachian tube dysfunction and conductive deafness were reversible where as Sensorineural hearing loss was an irreversible effect of radiotherapy. Dose of radiation was directly proportional to ototoxicity, minimum 60 Gys of total radiation dose was required to produce significant ototoxicity.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Lions Cancer Detection Center, New Civil Hospital Campus, Majuragate, Surat for giving radiotherapy to all our patients free of cost and providing necessary professional guidance for this study.

Support

This study was conducted in MCI recognized college attached to State Govt hospital as part of post graduate research work by Dr. Neepa Jariwala under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Ila Upadhya after it was being scrutinized and passed by the ethical committee of the local institution. Dr. Jyoti Datar helped in collecting the data, reviewing the literature etc. In this hospital all BPL ration card holders and senior citizens are given free of cost treatment. Even for paying patients the fees are negligible e.g. 3 Rs for OPD, 5 Rs for IPD and negligible fees for all kinds of investigations. Over and above for the study whatever was done additional i.e. Pure tone Audiometry, Impedance Audiometry, diagnostic nasal endoscopy etc. was made free of cost irrespective of patient category i.e. whether paying or nonpaying. These investigations are noninvasive involving no health hazard. All the patients received radiotherapy at Lions cancer detection center free of cost. They have full fledged radiotherapy department with full time radiation oncologists.

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Correspondence to I. Upadhya.

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Upadhya, I., Jariwala, N. & Datar, J. Ototoxic Effects of Irradiation. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 63, 151–154 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-011-0142-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-011-0142-9

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