On the hearing effects of a cholesteatoma growing: A biomechanical study

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Mendonca, L (Author) Other; Santos, CF (Author) Other; Gentil, F (Author) Other; Parente, MPL (Author) FEUP; Areias, B (Author) Other; Renato Natal Jorge (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine

Vol. 236 No. 4

Pages: 72-83

ISSN: 0954-4119

Publisher: SAGE

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00V-GDG

DOI: 10.1177/09544119211046675

Abstract (EN): Chronic otitis media enables the appearance of a benign middle ear tumor, known as a cholesteatoma, that may compromise hearing. To evaluate the influence of a cholesteatoma growth on the hearing function, a computational middle ear model based on the finite element method was used and three different size of cholesteatoma were modeled. The cholesteatoma solidification and the consequent degradation of the ossicles were also simulated as two condition that commonly occurs during cholesteatoma evolution. A sound pressure level of 80 dB SPL was applied in the tympanic membrane and a steady state analysis was performed for frequencies from 100 Hz to 10 kHz. The displacements of both the tympanic membrane and the stapes footplate were measured. The results were compared with a healthy case and it was shown that the cholesteatoma development leads to a decrease in the umbo and stapes displacements. The ossicles degradation simulation showed the higher difference comparing with the cholesteatoma in an initial stage, with lower displacements in the stapes footplate mainly for high frequencies. The observed displacement differences are directly connected to hearing loss, being possible to conclude that cholesteatoma evolution in the middle ear will lead to hearing problems, mainly in an advanced stage.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12