Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of ORL-HNS

Ankara, Turkey

Tympanometry is useful and objective tool in diagnosing SOM. Type of the tympanogram (A, C1, C2, and B) has been proposed as main parameter for prediction of effusion within the middle ear. Not only pressure but also compliance and gradient of the tympanic membrane forms type of the curve. In this study, tympanograms of 434 ears of 250 children with SOM and 87 ears of 44 normal children were evaluated regarding pressure, compliance and gradient of the curve. Effusion was detected in 302 of 434 ears with SOM.

Statistically significant differences were detected in pressure and compliance between normal ears and ears with SOM (both with and without effusion). However, gradient of the tympanometric curve was significantly different only between normals and ears in which effusion was detected. Effusion sensitivity of the tympanometry (B type) was increased from 68 % to 74.5 % and 83 % by using 0.1 and 0.2 of gradient as cut point, respectively. Further, C2 type tympanogram was detected in 62 % of remaining ears with effusion in which gradient were higher than 0.2. Thus, test efficiency reached to 92 % between normal ears and ears with effusion, and 93 % between ears with and without effusion.