Therapeutic approach in blast injuries of the ear

Otic blast injury is caused by arrhythmic air blast wave. The perforation of the tympanic membrane is the commonet finding associated with lacerations of mucosa in the middle ear. Makki 6] published 34 cases of myringoplasty after war blast injuries. However, healing of such perforations is common; Kerr 7] noted a healing rate of 83% after the blast injury. The aim of the study was to evaluate different therapic procedures of otic blast injuries. There were 74 patients with bilateral otic blast injuries, who underwent otomycroscopic examination. The following parameters were noted: Integrity of tympanic membrane and size of perforation, presence of haemorrhagic exudate in the middle ear and median value of conductive deafness (Table 2). Main symptoms, presented in Table 1 were: pain, deafness and otohaematorrhoea. The first group of 19 patients received antibiotics by parenteral way during 7 days according to the bacterial finding in ear exudate. Healing rate was dependent on the size of tympanic membrane perforation, and rated from 71% in perforation of one third of tympanic membrane to 25% in total perforation of tympanic membrane. Data are presented in Table 3. The second group of 24 patients received the same therapy as the first treatment, plus otomycroscopic removal of haemorrhagic exudate, lacerated middle ear mucosa, and repair of tympanic membrane lacerations. Healing rate was significantly better than the one obtained in the first group (Table 4). Persistent tympanic perforation, as indicator of failed therapy, was present in 5 (35%) of all examined ears with two thirds of tympanic membrane perforation in the first group, while in the second group the rate was 3 (12%). The third group received the same therapy as the second treatment, including administration of amicacyn into the external auditory canal. The results were statistically compared by chi 2 test, and we found that the second therapy protocol was significantly better. There was no significant difference between the second and the third therapy protocols. We found blast ruptures of tympanic membrane and auditory ossicles chain discontinuity in 88% of examined ears. In our material the high incidence of total tympanic membrane ruptures and subtotal ruptures (48%) is quite different in comparison to other authors 5-7]. We consider it as the effect of high power blast wave. Loss of conductive hearing was present in 91% of blast injured patients, while 7.4% of patients had mixed, predominantly senzoneural deafness. Consequently, in addition to mechanic blast injuries acoustic trauma could profoundly damage the inner ear. Spontaneous healing of tympanic membrane occurred in 71% of injured persons and this was a better result than the results obtained by other authors 3, 4, 6]. The spontaneous healing of tympanic membrane failed if infection of the middle ear occurred or blast caused the total tympanic membrane perforation. In the second and third therapy protocols significantly higher healing of tympanic membrane ruptures was evident; it rated from 88% to 91%. Better results could be explained by the effect of optimal healing conditions, based on removal of exudate from the middle ear and necrotic parts of tympanic membrane, completed by fitting of lacerated parts of tympanic membrane and antibiotic prophylaxis. Healing of tympanic membrane without scars and adhesions was more frequent than in patients treated only with antibiotics. Incidence of undesired outcome of persistent perforation of tympanic membrane was reduced. To prevent posttraumatic complications in the middle ear, we recommend early cleaning of margins, reposition of lacerated fragments of tympanic membrane, and removal of haemorrhagic exudate. Myringoplasty should be performed if spontaneous healing of tympanic membrane did not occur after 6 months. CONCLUSION: Otic blast injury was frequently found in war induced trauma. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)