An apparatus for diagnosis of ossicular chain mobility in humans

• Published in: International journal of audiology 2006-02, Vol.45 (2), p.121-128
• Main Authors: Koike, Takuji, Murakoshi, Michio, Hamanishi, Shinnji, Yuasa, Yu, Yuasa, Ryo, Kobayashi, Toshimitsu, Wada, Hiroshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic Impedance Tests - instrumentation; Adult; Animals; Chronic Disease; Ear Ossicles - physiology; Ears; Female; Guinea Pigs; Hearing; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mobility; Movement; Otitis Media - diagnosis; Otitis Media - physiopathology; Otosclerosis; Otosclerosis - diagnosis; Otosclerosis - physiopathology; Reproducibility of Results; Tympanometry; Tympanoplasty
• ISSN: 1499-2027; 1708-8186
• DOI: 10.1080/14992020500377899

Confirmation of the conditions of the ossicles is essential for tympanoplasty. However, at present, ossicular mobility is experimentally estimated with palpation by a surgeon, and the results depend on the surgeon's skill. In this study, a new apparatus for quantitatively measuring ossicular mobility was developed. With this apparatus, the ossicles were displaced and the reaction force from the ossicles, (i.e. the load applied to the ossicles) was simultaneously detected. Ossicular mobility of three patients with otosclerosis or chronic otitis media was measured to evaluate the usability of the apparatus. The apparatus can distinguish the differences in ossicular mobility between normal and fixed ossicles, and it makes estimating the change of mobility between pre- and post-treatments for ossicular fixation possible. Positive correlation was seen between ossicular mobility and hearing level. Sumario La confirmación de la movilidad osicular es esencial para la timpanoplastia; sin embargo, actualmente se estima experimentalmente por medio de palpación por parte del cirujano y el resultado depende de la destreza del mismo. En este estudio se desarrolló un nuevo aparato para medir cuantitativamente la movilidad osicular. Con este aparato, los huesecillos son desplazados y su fuerza de reacción, p.e. la carga que se les aplica, es detectada simultáneamente. Se midió la movilidad osicular de tres pacientes con otoesclerosis u otitis media crónica para evaluar la utilidad del aparato. El aparato puede distinguir entre movilidad normal o huesecillos fijos, y da un estimado de cambio de movilidad pre y post-tratamiento. Se observó una correlación positiva entre la movilidad osicular y el nivel de audición.