Florian Wegener cs 2022
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279:2353-2361.
doi 10.1007/s00405-021-06939-7
External auditory exostoses in wind-dependent water sports participants: German wind- and kitesurfers

Cold water & wind are known to cause EAEs (exostoses of the external auditory canal).
Different prevalences in different sports have been described in the literature.
Our retrospective cross-sectional study investigate
d- the prevalence of EAEs & EAE severity in coastal German wind- & kite-surfers, exposed to cold water & strong winds,
- influencing factors (total exposure time & frequency of activity) & correlations between symptoms & EAE severity.

German non-professional wind- & kite-surfers along the North & Baltic Sea-coasts were recruited between Sept.2020 & Nov.2020.
Each participant
- was interviewed about exposure time & otological symptoms,
- underwent bilateral video otoscopic examination.

Results:
241 ears from 130 subjects were analysed.
The prevalence of EAE was 75.1 %.
In 19.9 % of the participants, severe EAE was found.
Exposure time & the frequency of activity had significant effects on the severity of EAE.
Compared to surfers, EAE growth seems to progress faster in wind- & kite-surfers.
The number of symptoms requiring medical treatment increased when 2/3 of the external auditory canal was obstructed.

Conclusion:
The prevalence of EAE in wind- & kite-surfers is high.
Total exposure time & the frequency of activity influence EAE growth.
EAE growth occurs faster in wind- & kite-surfers than in surfers.
The additional influence of wind & the evaporative cooling of the EAC are thought to be responsible.
The results of this study should
- increase awareness of the dynamics of EAE among ENT-specialists,
- improve patient counselling.

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