Diagnosis of middle ear disease with eardrum perforation by a newly developed sweep frequency measuring apparatus.

Dynamic characteristics of an artificial middle ear model with and without eardrum perforations were measured with our newly developed sweep frequency measuring apparatus. Then, the dynamic characteristics of patients with chronic otitis media having eardrum perforations and with traumatic perforations were measured with this apparatus, and the results were compared with those of the artificial middle ear model with an eardrum perforation. The comparison leads to the conclusion that the middle ear condition of patients with eardrum perforations can be distinguished on the basis of their measurement results. Furthermore, the ossicular chain conditions of patients with eardrum perforations can be diagnosed after putting a paper patch on the eardrum perforation. Therefore, this apparatus seems to be highly useful in the diagnosis of both ossicular chain disorders and eardrum perforations.