Intraoperative hearing evaluation during tympanoplasty – surgical technique and measurement method using OssiMon LAIOM system

Abstract

We present a surgical technique of closed tympanoplasty for chronic otitis, together with an intraoperative functional evaluation system with the OssiMon LAIOM software. The technique can be used in one or two steps for an intraoperative evaluation of the functional effect during ear operation. Using OssiMon LAIOM, we were able to simultaneously measure the auditory steady-state response (ASSR), as well as to perform laser dopler vibrometry (LDV). For electrophysiologic measurements, OssiMon LAIOM uses the Intelligent Hearing System platform, and the Polytec single-point laser to evaluate the ossicular mobility. The measurements can be conducted using both methods at the same time or separately, applying each method independently. The OssiMon LAIOM software records the ASSR response intraoperatively and marks it automatically on the audiogram with the preoperative hearing level. The ossicular vibration level is determined based on the measured LDV response. To the best of our knowledge, OssiMon LAIOM is the first solution allowing to objectively measure the effectiveness of tympanoplasty using two methods simultaneously, i.e. ASSR and LDV. The system could be widely applied in the functional evaluation of the middle ear and in clinical practice.