Epidemiological Profile and Audiometric Findings in Pediatric Patients with External Auditory Canal Atresia in Ecuador Perfil Epidemiológico y Hallazgos Audiométricos en Pacientes Pediátricos con Atresia del Conducto Auditivo Externo en Ecuador

Abstract

External auditory canal atresia is a congenital malformation affecting approximately 1 in 10,000-20,000 births, causing conductive hearing loss that significantly impacts language development and quality of life in pediatric population. The objective was to determine epidemiological profile and audiometric characteristics of patients with external auditory canal atresia. An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at Specialized Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation No. 1 in Ecuador, from June 2023 to June 2024, including 30 patients diagnosed with external auditory canal atresia. Demographic variables, clinical and audiometric characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics with statistical significance p<0.05 and 95% confidence interval. Of 30 patients evaluated, 56.7% were 5-10 years old and 43.3% were 11-15 years old, with male predominance (56.7%) over female (43.3%). Bilateral atresia was most frequent (50.0%), followed by right unilateral (43.3%) and left unilateral (6.7%) involvement. 93.3% of patients presented moderate conductive hearing loss, while 6.7% showed severe hearing loss exclusively in right ear. External auditory canal atresia showed predominance in school-age children, male sex, and bilateral involvement with moderate conductive hearing loss. These findings highlight importance of early diagnosis and timely intervention to minimize impact on language development and academic performance.