Ear Biomechanics for Restoration of Hearing

恢复听力的耳生物力学

• 批准号: 6985212
• 负责人: RONG Z GAN
• 金额: $ 23.12万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-07-15 至 2010-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6985212
• 关键词: biological models; biomechanics; computational biology; conductive hearing loss; digital imaging; ear disorder diagnosis; exudate /transudate; hearing tests; interferometry; middle ear disorder; otitis media; sound impedance; sound perception; temporal bone; viscosity

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this project is to determine how the structure and mechanical properties of human ear affect acoustic-mechanical transmission through the external ear canal and middle ear to inner ear (or cochlea) in normal, pathological and reconstructed ears. Our hypothesis is that incorporation of our 3-D comprehensive FE model of the human ear into clinical tympanometry, a diagnostic tool commonly used on middle ear diseases, and laser Doppler interferometry, a potential clinical tool for diagnosis of conductive hearing loss, can improve the diagnosis of otitis media with effusion (OME). There are four specific aims proposed here: (1) to identify how alterations in middle ear structures affect sound transmission from the ear canal through the middle ear to the cochlea measured with laser interferometry and tympanometry; (2) to measure mechanical properties or viscoelasticity of middle ear tissues such as the ligaments and tympanic membrane; (3) to develop multi-field (i.e., acoustic-structure-fluid) coupled analysis of the 3-D FE model with structural alterations in middle ear on human temporal bones; and (4) To correlate our 3-D FE model results with clinical measurements obtained by tympanometry and laser interferometry for improvement of the diagnosis of middle ear diseases such as OME. Four unique approaches are incorporated in the project: (a) accurate geometric reconstruction of entire human ear based on histological images of temporal bone morphometry; (b) direct, accurate measurement of viscoelastic properties of middle ear tissues using the nanoindentation system and digital image correlation techniques; (c) improved human temporal bone experiment with dual laser Doppler interferometry system to measure simultaneously the acoustic-mechanical conduction through the middle ear; and (d) coupled acoustic-structure-fluid analysis of sound transmission from the ear canal to middle ear, and to the cochlea. Experiments described in this proposal will show how changes in middle ear structure and cochlear load affect the sound transmission in the ear. The FE model will demonstrate the potential clinical applications on how the middle ear fluid, ligament cut or removal, and ossicular disarticulation, fixation, or necrosis affect the middle ear transfer function. Thus, the results will be essential for improving the diagnosis of OME, assessing surgical treatment for conductive hearing loss, and potentially improve the quality of life for millions of people.

描述（由申请人提供）：本项目的长期目标是确定人耳的结构和机械特性如何影响正常、病理和重建耳中通过外耳道和中耳到内耳（或耳蜗）的声机械传输。我们的假设是，我们的3-D综合FE模型的人耳纳入临床鼓室导抗，一种常用的诊断工具，中耳疾病，和激光多普勒干涉，一种潜在的临床工具，用于诊断传导性听力损失，可以提高诊断渗出性中耳炎（OME）。这里提出了四个具体目标：（1）确定中耳结构的改变如何影响用激光干涉测量法和鼓室测量法测量的从耳道通过中耳到耳蜗的声音传输;（2）测量中耳组织（诸如韧带和鼓膜）的机械特性或粘弹性;（3）开发多场（即，（4）将我们的三维有限元模型结果与鼓室导抗测量和激光干涉测量获得的临床测量结果相关联，以提高中耳疾病如OME的诊断。 该项目采用了四种独特的方法：（a）基于颞骨形态测量的组织学图像精确地重建整个人耳的几何结构;（B）使用纳米压痕系统和数字图像相关技术直接、精确地测量中耳组织的粘弹特性;（c）利用双激光多普勒干涉测量系统改进人颞骨实验，以同时测量通过中耳的声-机械传导;以及（d）从耳道到中耳和到耳蜗的声音传输的耦合声学-结构-流体分析。 本提案中描述的实验将显示中耳结构和耳蜗负荷的变化如何影响耳中的声音传输。有限元模型将证明中耳积液、韧带切割或切除以及听骨断离、固定或坏死如何影响中耳传递函数的潜在临床应用。因此，这些结果对于改善OME的诊断，评估传导性听力损失的手术治疗以及潜在地改善数百万人的生活质量至关重要。