The objective of the present work was to estimate the number of lymphocytes in the middle ear secretion that had died as a result of apoptosis or necrosis in the patients presenting with acute otitis media and to elucidate the relationship between this phenomenon and the development of sensorineural impairment of hearing. The study included a total of 106 patients suffering from acute middle otitis allocated two groups. Group 1 was comprised of 75 (70.8%) patients with hearing loss of the conductive type alone while group 2 contained 31 (29.2%) patients with the combined type of hearing loss. The contents of the tympanic cavity was obtained by means of tympanic puncture, the lymphocytes isolated from middle ear secretion were studied with the use of a flow cytometer in order to determine the number of dead cells. In the patients of group 1, 15.2±0.6% and 10.6±0.5% of all lymphocytes underwent apoptosis and necrosis respectively. In the patients of group, lymphocyte apoptosis was observed in 24.7±1.% of the cases (p<0.05) and necrosis in 14.0±0.5% ones (p<0.05). It was shown that liberation of intracellular proteolytic enzymes and cytokines taking place largely in the course of necrosis activates phagocytosis, stimulates the inflammatory reaction, and thereby promotes resolution of the pathological processes in the middle ear due to the prevention of their extension into the labyrinth.