THE PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL EXAMINATION OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a persistent inflammatory disease of the middle ear characterized by recurrent or continuous otorrhea through a perforated tympanic membrane and is a leading cause of preventable hearing impairment. The condition remains highly prevalent in developing regions and is associated with delayed diagnosis, frequent relapses, and a wide spectrum of extracranial and intracranial complications. Clinical manifestations of CSOM are often variable and may not fully reflect the extent of pathological changes within the middle ear and mastoid system. Therefore, reliance on symptoms alone can lead to underestimation of disease severity. A comprehensive clinical examination plays a critical role in accurate diagnosis, evaluation of disease extent, identification of complications, and selection of appropriate therapeutic strategies, ultimately improving functional and anatomical outcomes.