Objective: To investigate the effect of noise generated by the otologic drills and suctions on the cochlear of the operated and nonoperated ear.
Method: To examine the noise generated by the different kind of drills and suctions in tympanoplasty, the ND10 Sound Level Meter (Beijing) was used. The bone-conduction thresholds was measured before and one month after operation respectively in both ears.
Results: Sound pressure levels for the otologic drills and suctions were 82-106 dB and 71-84 dB, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between pre-noise and one-month post-noise bone-conduction thresholds in both operated and nonoperated ears.
Conclusion: It is safety to use otologic drills and suctions for the patients. There is no apparent harmful effect on the function of cochlear in both ears for the noise of using drills and suctions in tympanoplasty.