Incidence and characteristics of Traumatic Tympanic Membrane perforation

OBJECTIVE: To determine incidence and characteristics of traumatic Tympanic Membrane perforation in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at the Department of ENT, MTI/LRH, Peshawar from August to December 2017. After well informed consent a detailed history was taken; thorough examination of ENT was carried out. Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) of all included patients was performed by same senior audiometrician. The data were collected on predesigned proforma and were analyzed using SPSS (16 version RESULTS: This study included 48 patients; Male 34, Female 14 with Male: Female ratio of 2.24:1. The mean age was 26.75 ± SD 9.88 Years. Majority of the patients (24, 50%) were in 3rd decade of life. The commonest cause of perforation of tympanic membrane was slap (35, 72.9%). Perforation of the Tympanic membrane was found more on left side (24, 50%), involving anterio-inferior site (18, 37.5%), while medium sized perforation was frequent finding (27, 56.2%). Single perforation was commonest observation (45, 93.8%), conductive hearing loss was the most common finding (38, 79.2%), and mild degree hearing loss was commonest (24, 50%). CONCLUSION: Traumatic tympanic membrane perforation is common in young male. Slap was the commonest cause of traumatic perforation affecting left ear more than right ear. Inferior quadrant of the tympanic membrane was commonly involved and mild degree and conductive type of hearing loss was common.