Correlation between ear canal resonance and tympanic membrane impedance in relation to age and body mass and postmortem changes

Abstract

The human temporal bone preparation is an acknowledged model for research of the physical processes affecting the outer ear canal and eardrum. Changes affecting the oscillation and resonance behavior of the tympanic membrane and ear canal between death and temporal bone preparation presently exist in only a few studies. Since the influence of age and physique, as well as the width of ear canal on the ear canal resonance may be important, we prepared two separate studies to analyze these questions. The goal of our first test series involved children and was devised to determine if changes in the outer auditory canal resonances differed according to age. In so doing, canal resonance was recorded with a real ear measurement system. Further, we recorded middle ear pressure, impedance of the tympanic membrane, ear canal volume, height, weight and surface of the body, head and ear size. We found a significant decrease in the resonance frequency of the outer ear which was age-dependent and was 2.75 kHz in the 7-year-old child. In a separate study we wanted to know if results found in the postmortem temporal bone reflected in vivo relationships. A tympanometer and real ear measurement system was used to test the resonance behavior of the auditory canal as well as the vibration of the eardrum in dependence on temperature and the time after death for 9 h. We then proved the absence of significant changes in the auditory canal and eardrum oscillation in this time period before possible postmortem changes occurred. Our findings show that the method of bone preservation after its preparation is decisive for the validity of measurements in the isolated human temporal bone.