title: [Objective comparison between perforation and hearing loss].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There appears to be no relationship between the size of tympanic perforations and hearing loss. Some studies in the literature have assessed this connection, with conflicting data and without proper methodology, especially concerning the measurement of the size of the perforation, which was performed in a subjective manner.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the size of tympanic perforations and to relate them to hearing loss in four different sound frequencies through the use of an objective method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transversal retrospective study. The present study evaluated 187 perforations through digital imaging, calculated the percentages of the tympanic membrane that was perforated using ImageScope software version 11.1.2.760 and correlated perforations' size with hearing loss at four frequencies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were statistically analyzed using Pearson's correlation test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant relationship between the size of tympanic perforations and hearing loss in the four analyzed frequencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: quintanilha.f@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Fernando de Andrade Quintanilha
authors.initials: Fde A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Verônica Reche Rodrigues
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Gaudino
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio Dinelli
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gil Junqueira
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Marçal
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edson Ibrahim
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Mitre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Avaliação; Evaluation; Hearing loss; Perda auditiva; Perfuração da membrana timpânica; Tympanic membrane perforation