Inner Ear Barotrauma

Clinical and Experimental Studies

Abstract

We have experienced some patients with acute sensorineural deafness that was caused by sudden change of atmospheric pressure. They had various degrees of hearing loss, but mainly exhibited flat form deafness and recruitment positive. Vestibular symptoms were not present in most of cases, and complete hearing recovery occurred at early period.
In addition, we experimentally induced inner ear barotrauma in guinea pigs by rapid compression and decompression using high pressure chamber and observed the morphological changes of the organ of Corti and the values of the endocochlear potential.
As to the cause of inner ear barotrauma, we speculated that the change in the pressure was transmitted directly to the inner ear through the labyrinthine window membrane, giving a strong impulse to the endolymph via Reisner's and basilar membranes, resulting in damage to sensory hair cells. Round window membrane rupture and vascular disturbance in the inner ear were observed in some animals, but they seemed to rather concomitant findings than the cause.