Conductive Hearing Loss with an Intact Tympanic Membrane: Diagnosed Approaches

Abstract

Objective: Our study aims to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, radiological, and etiological aspects of this disease. Methods: We reviewed data from patients who consulted the same seigneur for hearing loss and in whom the otoscopic examination was normal with a conductive hearing loss objectively confirmed on tonal audiometry, for a period of one year (from October 2018 to October 2019). Epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical data were collected and recorded onfarm records. Results: The average age is 36 years. The M/F sex ratio was 1.5 in favor of the men. None of our patients reported a personal otologic history. Three patients reported a notion of head trauma and a similar case in the family was found in four patients. Hearing loss is the most frequent reason for consultation. Otoscopic examination shows a normal tympanic membrane without perforation in all patients. CT scan of the temporal bone was performed in all patients (100%); it was normal in 4 cases (17%), which required surgical exploration. However, he showed images of otosclerosis in 15 cases (65%), an image of congenital cholesteatoma in a single patient, tympanic glomus in a single patient, an incudo-malleolar dislocation in a single patient (4.5%), and an incudo-stapedial dislocation in a single patient (4.5%). Conclusion: Conductive hearing loss (CHL) is a diagnostic challenge for the physician that requires a schematic approach. The diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical and paraclinical arguments.