Spectroscopic studies of the middle ear mucosa

The mucosa of the middle ear plays a significant role in the outcome of the patients because of its function of the proper ventilation in the middle ear. Until now we only the surgeon provides us with the clinical picture of the mucosa. Objective characteristics of the middle ear mucosa are desirable, to provide a better prognosis of the postoperative hearing results.

During surgeries of the middle ear mucosa samples were taken from the promontorium and divided into four groups by the surgeon: Group I: normal (n = 26); Group II: sclerotic (n = 7); Group III: inflamed and thickened (n = 4); Group IV: granulated (n = 2). After the extraction, the samples were freeze-dried, microtome cuts were made (8 µm) and were analysed with an fourier-transformed-infrared-spectroscope.

There are differences between group I and each of the other groups noticeable in the supervised spectroscopic analysis of the means of the samples taken by now. In the wave number between 1000 – 1500 cm^-1 are significant differences of the spectral bands proven. Especially the bands of the polysaccharides and phosphate groups in range of 1000 – 1100 cm^-1 for mucosa group I and the bands of the lipids at 1480 cm^-1 show deviation from normal middle ear mucosa.

Spectroscopic examinations provide us objective characteristics of the middle ear mucosa. We can see first biochemical differences between normal and pathologic mucosa, so that an intra-operative use might give us a differentiated prediction of the postoperative hearing results. A comparison of the spectroscopic results with histopathological examinations of the middle ear mucosa is planned.

Publication History

Publication Date:
23 April 2019 (online)