Wideband frequency impedance for diagnosis of ossicular chain abnormality

Abstract

Background

The accurate estimation of the ossicular chain abnormalities using existing functional examinations has been difficult.

Aims/Objectives

This study aimed to verify the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of ossicular chain abnormalities using a wideband frequency impedance (WFI) meter, which can measure the dynamic characteristics of the middle ear.

Material and Methods

Retrospective cohort study. Fourteen ears of patients with ossicular chain abnormalities that were definitively diagnosed surgically were included in this study. The following data were collected for each participant: sound pressure level (SPL) curve measured using the WFI meter and a sweep frequency impedance (SFI) meter, WFI measurements plotted on the resonance frequency (RF)-ΔSPL plane, distribution map of the dynamic characteristics of the middle ear, preoperative audiometry results, and the definitive surgical diagnosis.

Results

The SPL curve obtained using the WFI meter had lesser noise than that obtained using the SFI meter. The distribution map revealed that the ossicular chain separation range and ossicular chain fixation range were completely separated. The hearing data tended to be poor in cases with small ΔSPL.

Conclusions and Significance

WFI can potentially enhance the accuracy of SFI. In addition, it can also be used for the classification of ossicular chain separation and fixation as well as the quantification of fixation in cases of ossicular chain anomalies that cannot be diagnosed using conventional tests.

Chinese Abstract

背景

利用现有功能测试来准确估计听骨链异常一直很困难。

目的

本研究旨在使用宽带频率阻抗(WFI)计来验证听骨链异常的术前诊断的准确性。该仪表可以测量中耳的动态特征。

材料和方法

回顾性队列研究, 包括通过手术明确诊断听骨链异常患者的十四只耳。为每位参与者收集了以下数据: 使用 WFI 计以及扫频阻抗(SFI) 计测量的声压级 (SPL) 曲线, 在谐振频率 (RF) -ΔSPL平面上绘制 WFI 测量值、中耳动态特性分布图、术前测听结果, 以及明确的手术诊断。

结果

使用 WFI 计获得的 SPL 曲线比使用 SFI 获得的SPL 曲线噪声更小。 分布图显示听骨链分离范围和听骨链固定范围完全分开。 在 ΔSPL 较小的情况下, 听力数据往往较差。

结论和意义

WFI 可以潜在地提高 SFI 的准确性。 此外, 在无法使用传统测试法来诊断听骨链异常的情况下, 它还可以用于听骨链分离和固定的分类以及固定的量化。

Keywords:

• Wideband frequency impedance (WFI) meter
• preoperative diagnosis
• ossicular chain abnormalities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by AMED under Grant Numbers JP21he0422011 and JP22he0422011.