Clinical features of traumatic tympanic membrane perforations and ossicular dispotions

This retrospective study includes 30 patients with traumatic tympanic membrane perforations and 8 patients with traumatic ossicular chain dislocations in our hospital from April 2008 to December 2013. The cause, pathogenesis, hearing condition and therapeutic outcomes were examined. In the group of tympanic membrane perforations, these were caused by either direct force in 14 cases or indirect force in 16 cases. They are mainly located in the anterior-inferior quadrant in 23 cases and involved single quadrant perforation. Although most cases healed conservatively, 6 of 30 cases required surgical operations to close the perforations. All cases improved hearing conditions after the closure of the tympanic membrane, regardless of conservative or surgical therapy. In the group of ossicular chain dislocations, 6 of 8 cases underwent surgical repair. Malleo-incudal joint dislocations, incudo-stapedial joint dislocations, and stapedial fractures were confirmed by the operations. All 6 cases improved hearing conditions postoperatively. On the basis of our data, we will discuss the implications of this traumatic disorder with regard to clinical issues.