Training in Wideband Tympanometry
Assessment of ear disorders using power reflectance
Description
This article is a literature review that describes how the power absorbance measurement in adults is affected by a series of pathologies including those affecting the tympanic membrane (TM), ossicles, middle-ear cavity, inner ear and intra-cranial pressure. Absorbance consistently demonstrates a sensitivity to changes in the TM, ossicles, middle-ear cavity, inner ear, and intra-cranial pressure including such pathologies as TM perforation, hypermobile TM, tympanosclerosis, middle ear pressure, middle ear effusion, ossicular discontinuity, otosclerosis, superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD), and changes in intracranial pressure. Additionally, there is evidence that a combined measure of absorbance and positive air-bone gap can aid in the differential diagnosis between stapes fixation, SCD and ossicular discontinuity. This sensitivity of wideband absorbance to predict the aforementioned pathologies highlights the diagnostic utility of such measures, and suggests that the Titan wideband absorbance module offers comprehensive diagnostic utility for the diagnostic audiology clinic.
