Assessment of hearing loss induced by tympanic membrane perforations under blast environment

Purposes This study provides an approach to estimating tympanic membrane perforation-induced hearing loss (HL) using a human middle ear model. Methods Sixty-one cases of tympanic membrane perforation originating from fireworks were reported from the Ear–Nose–Throat Department. The otoscope, audiometry data and diagnosis records were organized, and gender, age, etiology, perforation size and diseased ear side were classified as independent variables. A multinomial regression model was used to analyze the potential effects of the variables on HL. Meanwhile, a human middle ear model was implemented to calculate the ensued HL resulting from different perforation areas and sites. In addition, linear regression models were used to establish functions between perforation size and HL. Results The audiometry data indicate that HL at high frequencies ( f > 2 kHz) is much more profound than that at the speech frequency band ( f