Inner Ear Barotrauma

Clinical and Experimental Studies

Abstract

Acute sensorineural deafness was studied in 5 cases caused by sudden change in atmospheric pressure.
It was bilateral only 1 case, appearing while flying in a helicopter. In the other 4 cases it was unilateral, caused by diving in 3 cases, and the remaining case had slight damage at diving, and then aggravated by flying.
All these 5 cases had diving or glying not only once, but often since before.
They had various degrees of hearing loss, but all flat form deafness, recruitment (-i-) and TD (-). Vestibular symptoms were not present, and hearing recovery can be expected fully at early period.
As the causes of inner ear disorder, labyrinth window membrane rupture and vascular disturbance in the inner ear are mentioned, but according to our experiment with guinea pigs, at the time of sudden change in pressure is beyond adjusting capacity of the auditory tube, the change in pressure is transmitted directly to the inner ear via the labyrinth window membranes, giving a strong impulse mainly to the basilar and Reissner's membranes to damage the Corti's organ.