Background: The role prophylactic antibiotics in otologic surgery continues to be debated and perhaps misused. Prior studies have provided conflicting evidence with benefits obtained from the use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery for chronic otitis media.

Materials and Methods: The current study was designed to evaluate the role of prophylactic antibiotics in the wound infection and outcome of surgery for chronic ear disease. It was the authors' impression that there was no difference between topical and systemic antibiotics in such surgery. Patients who met the inclusion criteria (n=193) were randomly assigned to a topical treatment group or a control group receiving only intravenous antibiotics for 1 dose intra operatively and 3 dose there after. Patients were followed post-operatively and observed for clinical evidence of infection, graft failur and hearing status.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to the incidence of postoperative infection or graft survival.

Conclusion: The use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery for chronic otitis media can be recommended as an alternative method.