title: Conductive hearing loss with an intact tympanic membrane due to non-inflammatory causes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed audiologic and surgical findings in patients with conductive hearing loss (CHL) with an intact tympanic membrane (TM) that was of a non-inflammatory origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed data from patients who underwent exploratory tympanotomy for CHL with intact TM from January 1995 to November 2012. Patients with diseases of non-inflammatory origin were enrolled (69 patients; 79 ears). Patients were categorized into two groups: non-trauma (50 ears) and trauma (29 ears). Demographic data, intraoperative findings, and audiologic results were obtained and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the second decade was the most common age of diagnosis in both the non-trauma and trauma groups. Operative findings showed that ossicular dislocation was more prevalent than ossicular fixation; all trauma group subjects had ossicular dislocation. Short columellization or partial ossicular replacement was the most frequently adopted surgical procedures in both groups. Overall, audiologically, air-conduction thresholds (ACs) and air-bone gaps were significantly improved over the short- and long-term period in both groups. However, the non-trauma group had significantly higher preoperative ACs than the trauma group, especially at low frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides clinicians with useful information regarding the clinical characteristics of CHL with intact TM of non-inflammatory origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: KRESGE Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Min Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Yup
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Daegu Veterans Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Heun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jangjh@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jeong Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004429:Ear Ossicles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019933:Ossicular Replacement; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Conductive hearing loss; Exploratory tympanotomy; Tympanic membrane