Open AccessThe Relationship between Presbycusis and Mastoid Pneumatization
Author(s) -
Yavuz Selim Pata,
Yücel Akbaş,
Murat Ünal,
Meltem Nass Duce,
Tuğana Akbaş,
Deniz Micozkadioğlu
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
yonsei medical journal/yonsei medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.702
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1976-2437
pISSN - 0513-5796
DOI - 10.3349/ymj.2004.45.1.68
Subject(s) - presbycusis , temporal bone , medicine , audiology , ear disease , anatomy , dentistry , hearing loss
Presbycusis is defined as the natural hearing loss accompanying aging, caused by degenerative changes in the inner ear. The etiology of presbycusis is uncertain. However, it would appear that a complex genetic cause is most likely. The determinants of mastoid size continue to be controversial. One of the pneumatization theories is the hereditary theory. In this study, the possible relationship between presbycusis and the extent of mastoid pneumatization was investigated. This study was carried out on 21 patients with presbycusis and 21 normal subjects of similar ages. The pneumatized volume was measured by computerized tomography. The temporal bone was scanned at 2 mm thickness intervals. Exposure (kV 130, mA105). The scan plane was parallel to the orbitomeatal line and the CT images covered the entire mastoid region. The average mastoid pneumatization in presbycusis group was 6.08 +/- 2.52 cm(3) in the right ear and 6.19 +/- 2.93 cm(3) in the left ear. However, in the control group it was 4.69 +/- 3.17 cm(3) in the right ear (p=0.12) and 5.10 +/- 3.49 cm(3) in the left ear (p=0.28). No significant difference was found between the presbycusis patients and normal subjects in terms of the volume of mastoid pneumatization.