Abstract
Objective: To describe a series of five patients with isolated fracture of the manubrium of the malleus. Design: Retrospective case series. Subjects: Five patients aged 44-64 years with isolated fracture of the manubrium who presented to our institution over a five-year period (2000-2005). Results: All patients presented with a history of digitally manipulating the external auditory canal, leading to the manubrial fracture, which we presume was due to a suction-type mechanism. Otomicroscopy often revealed a break in the smooth contour of the manubrium. All patients had air-bone gaps on audiometry, especially at higher frequencies. Tympanometry showed hypermobility of the tympanic membrane in four patients who were tested. Laser-Doppler vibrometry revealed increased umbo velocity in four out of five patients. Four patients were treated conservatively. One patient underwent exploratory tympanotomy with successful ossiculoplasty. Conclusions: Isolated fracture of the manubrium is a rare condition which may present as sudden-onset hearing loss after digital manipulation of the external auditory canal. The diagnosis can be made on the basis of otomicroscopy, audiometry, tympanometry and laser-Doppler vibrometry. Conservative treatment is often successful.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 898-904 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Laryngology and Otology |
Volume | 122 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Conductive Deafness
- Fracture
- Malleus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Otorhinolaryngology