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Hearing dynamics in patients with traumatic tympanic membrane perforation.

Background
Hearing distortions from trauma to the ear could occur by direct perforation of the tympanic membrane.


Aim
To characterize hearing thresholds in patients with traumatic tympanic membrane perforation and changes in hearing occurring in the course of treatment.


Study design
Prospective analytical study.


Setting
Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.


Methodology
We prospectively entered in a proforma the demographics of 60 patients with traumatic tympanic membrane perforation at the teaching hospital in Sagamu, Nigeria over a period of five years as well as their hearing assessment with pure tone audiometry at initial contact and six weeks post-injury. The type of hearing loss, pure tone average and air-bone gaps were recorded. Hearing changes between initial and second audiometric assessments were analyzed and compared.


Results
The data obtained from 60 patients with 73 traumatized ears were analyzed. In all, 64 (87.7%) of the ears had hearing loss while 33(45.2%) had conductive hearing loss. Injured ears had significantly worse hearing and higher air-bone gaps ABGs compared with non-traumatized ears. There was notable improvement in hearing thresholds and closure of air-bone gaps in the course of treatment, which was significantly more at the low frequencies compared with the high frequencies.


Conclusion
Patients with traumatic tympanic membrane perforation majorly had conductive hearing loss in the injured ears with audiometric confirmed air-bone gaps and increased hearing thresholds which were not frequency dependent. There was appreciable improvement in hearing parameters over time, significantly more at the low frequencies.