Morphology of human ear canal and its effect on sound transmission

Abstract

The ear canal (EC) is essential for sound transfer and crucial for hearing. Some pathological conditions may modify its morphology, leading to EC sound pressure redistribution, and stapes footplate displacement (FPD) gain alteration. However, no consensus regarding pathological EC and its impact on sound transfer has yet been achieved. To address the effect of morphology of EC on sound pressure redistribution and FPD gain. Varied pathological EC finite element (FE) models were constructed and analyzed based on FE analysis. The results indicated that canal wall down mastoidectomy decreases the second resonance frequency of the EC. The canal wall down mastoidectomy, with conchaplasty increased the first resonance frequency, but decreased the second along with the interval sound pressure gain increased, following which the FPD gain was altered. Stenosis of the EC at the internal portion decreased the second resonance frequency with minimal effect to the first part. When the stenosis moved to the outer portion of the EC, the first resonance frequency decreased, and the second one increased, along with the interval sound pressure gain decreased and FPD gain. Finally, the simplified EC model exerted a minimal effect on sound transfer. The minimal change in EC, such as simplification, straightening, canal wall down mastoidectomy, or enlargement, moderately affects the sound transfer; however, the EC stenosis deteriorates the sound transfer remarkably.

Keywords: FPD gain; ear canal; finite element; sound transfer.