Numerical Study of Tympanosclerosis Including Its Effect on Human Hearing

Abstract

Tympanosclerosis is an abnormal disorder of the middle ear or only the eardrum (i.e., myringosclerosis) in which there are calcium deposits. Normally, it is caused by recurrent middle ear infections. In this work, a 3D finite element model of the ear was developed, simulating different cases of tympanosclerosis. Through this model, the magnitude and the phase angle of the umbo and stapes displacement were obtained. The middle ear sound transfer function was determined for a stimulus of 80, 90 and 100 dB SPL, in a frequency range between 100 Hz and 10 kHz, applied on the outer surface of the eardrum in the external auditory canal. Depending on the tympanosclerosis affected area, the main conclusion is that worse results (leading to hearing loss) occur when all of the ossicular chain is affected.