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Non-Explosive blast injury of the ear

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Gilead Berger ,
Yehuda Finkelstein  and
Moshe Harell
Gilead Berger*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Meir General Hospital, Kfar Saba, Israel
Yehuda Finkelstein
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Wolfson Hospital, Holon, Israel.
Moshe Harell
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Wolfson Hospital, Holon, Israel.
*
Gilead Berger, M.D., Department of Otolaryngology, Meir General Hospital, 44281 Kfar Saba, Israel.
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Abstract

Non-explosive blast injury of the ear refers to the otological trauma caused by a blow to the ear that seals the external auditory meatus. It results in a sudden increase of air pressure within the ear canal that strikes the tympanic membrane. The present study portrays the various aspects of middle and inner ear damage in 91 patients resulting from an assault we entitled a ’non-explosive blast injury' to the ear. Sixty cases were caused by a slap or a fist, 13 patients suffered sport accidents, mostly in ball games, and 18 patients were injured during swimming and water sports activities. The common symptoms were hearing loss, earache, tinnitus, vertigo and otorrhoea. All 91 patients presented with acute perforations of their eardrums. The mean conductive hearing loss was 11.2 dB. A high tone sensorineural hearing loss was detected in only 20 per cent of the patients. A spontaneous closure of the perforation with a conservative management approach was observed in 94.8 per cent of the patientsHealing of the perforation was always associated with closure of the air-bone gap, while the results of the sensorineural hearing loss recovery were less favourable.

Keywords

Blast injuriesEarHearing lossconductiveHearing losssensorineural
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 108 , Issue 5 , May 1994 , pp. 395 - 398
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

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