[Middle ear deafness and noise trauma. Animal studies with the surface specimen technique (author's transl)].

The pertinent clinical literature concerning the research project is reviewed. The middle ear of guinea pigs was first damaged on one side (inflicting a subtotal perforation of the tympanic membrane, dislocation of the incudo-stapedial joint followed by otitis media) and the animals were then exposed to a specified narrow-band noise. The induced inner ear changes were quantified by means of cochleographic studies using the surface specimen technique. In spite of the inner ear changes due to middle ear manipulation prior to the noise exposure, the cochleographic studies revealed an obvious protective effect of the induced middle ear changes upon the inner ear during noise exposure.