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Communication: Language and Speech
Published in Frank H Hawkins, Harry W Orlady, Human Factors in Flight, 2017
Frank H Hawkins, Harry W Orlady
A common middle ear disease (otosclerosis) is characterised by the deposit of new bone or calcium material on the bony elements which are responsible for sound transmission, sometimes blocking their movement altogether. More common is deafness due to infections of the middle ear. These sometimes cause an accumulation of fluid which dampens movement of sound transmission components of the middle ear. Recurring infections of the middle ear (otitis media) can cause an increase in fibrous tissue and loss of flexibility of these components and occasionally perforations of the eardrum. Various surgical operations can be applied to correct many deficiencies of the middle ear. All such sources of interference with the transmission of sound waves through the outer and middle ears are called conduction deafness.
Disorders of Hearing
Published in Anthony N. Nicholson, The Neurosciences and the Practice of Aviation Medicine, 2017
Linda M. Luxon, Ronald Hinchcliffe
The treatment of acute otitis media requires pain relief, re-establishment of eustachian tube function using nasal drops, inhalations or decongestants, mucolytics and the prescription of systemic antibiotics. The drug of choice is amoxycillin or, in cases of sensitivity to penicillin, erythromycin. Myringotomy is indicated if the drum is bulging. In recurrent acute otitis media, a focus of infection within the upper respiratory tract should be sought, while persistent otitis media with effusion requires the exclusion of naspharyngeal malignancy (Ho et al., 2008). The aim of treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media is to eliminate infection using antibiotics, and, when the ear is healthy, repair aural damage such as a perforated ear drum or damage to the ossicles, which may prevent reinfection and improve sound transmission (Robinson, 1998; Raglan, 2003). Conductive hearing loss caused by otosclerosis or the hereditary osseous dysplasias may be managed conservatively using hearing aids, or surgically by stapedectomy. The procedure carries a small risk of complication of late sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and for this reason stapedectomy has historically not been undertaken in both ears, although recent work has shown more promising results (Kujala et al., 2008).
Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics
Published in John G Webster, Minimally Invasive Medical Technology, 2016
Otosclerosis is a condition where the stapes becomes attached to the surrounding bone of the middle ear. This can lead to reduced hearing. However, this can be treated with surgery—namely a stapedotomy. In a stapedotomy, a prosthesis is attached from the incus directly to the fluid of the inner ear. This usually restores much of the patient’s hearing. Figure 14.11 shows an ear without and with a prosthesis.
Design of a resilient ring for middle ear’s chamber stapes prosthesis
Published in Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2018
Emilia Anna Kiryk, Konrad Kamieniecki, Monika Kwacz
Stapes prostheses are used for surgical treatment of otosclerosis, which is an illness affecting auditory ossicles located in the middle ear. The ossicles (malleus, incus and stapes) link the outer and inner ear and transmit sound vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the oval window (OW). The stapes footplate (SF) is suspended on a highly elastic annular ligament (AL) in the OW niche. The AL enables the stapes to vibrate and to generate a pressure wave in the perilymph fluid. Otosclerosis immobilizes the stapes due to stiffening of the AL. This leads to a decrease in stimulation of the perilymph and manifests by conductive hearing loss (CHL). Otosclerosis is the cause of almost 22% of all CHL (Potocka et al. 2010).