Fatigue analysis of tympanic membrane after ossiculoplasty.

CONCLUSION

A tentative conclusion was made that the finite element method can be used to investigate the fatigue life of the tympanic membrane after ossiculoplasty; the main reason of the extrusion of the tympanic membrane may not be blamed to the fatigue mechanism under normal sound pressure.

OBJECTIVE

This study was to investigate the extrusion of the prosthesis from the tympanic membrane at post-ossiculoplasty by finite element method.

METHODS

A finite element model of the human middle ear has been constructed and used as the model of the constructed middle ear at post-ossiculoplasty. Then the fatigue life of the tympanic membrane was calculated under different sound pressure level using this model.

RESULTS

The tympanic membrane would not be extruded under normal sound pressure level. The sound pressure level which caused the tympanic membrane to crack in less than 3 years was higher than 145.17 dB (362.5 Pa).