damage to ears from radiation

daylilynanna
daylilynanna Member Posts: 1
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am 9 yrs post radiation for adenocarcinoma of a minor salivary gland. In July of last year i was found to have holes in my external ear canals with visible bone showing. My ENT did cleaning and gentian violet and monthly checks until november without improvement. In November I started Hyperbaric therapy and completed 40 therapy sessions. Two months post HBT my ear canals are without open wounds but I still have a hole in my right eardrum that is taking forever to heal. I also get debris in my ears that won't come out and has to be manually removed by my ENT. Painful. I also have 30% hearing loss in both ears. Anyone out there have any experience with these kind of problems. If so what kind of treatment did you receive and is there any info sites that would give me more info.

Thanks a bunch.

P

Comments

  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #2
    Radiation, the gift that keeps on taking
    Hi DayLily, sorry to hear of your ear problems. Your paticular problems are new to me, but not entirely. I'm two years post with ear problems from chemo. I have permanent hearing loss, and ongoing tinnitus.

    But, as you say, your problems stem from earlier radiation. The extra debri in the ears has been mentioned by many on the board, usually excessive ear wax. Too, your symptoms sound like similar problems with the loss of bone and enamel around teeth after several years post treatment.

    It sounds like the HBO treatments have helped, and I do hope the ear drum hole closes for you. So, though I haven't heard of anyone here with your particular problem, your problems do resemble several reported on the board as belated effects of radiation.

    best, Hal
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #3
    Here is a link
    that should take you to about 25 Pubmed based articles on osteoradionecrosis of the extenal earl canal:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=osteoradionecrosis ear canal&itool=QuerySuggestion

    I've now had radiation twice. Midway through my second treatment crusting and discharge became quite an issue with my left ear. It appears to have responded to a combination of steroid and acetic acid drops. The ENT oncologist who treats me mentioned it was certainly possible to get this complication after radiation involving the ear. We shall see if this returns to give me fits later on. But it sounds like this is what they are treating you for. Hoping your HBO makes the difference for you!

    Pat

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