Division of the stapedial tendon results in noise-induced damage to the inner ear
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Date
2014
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Abstract
Background: The effect of division of the stapedial tendon on susceptibility to noise-induced inner ear damage has not been previously studied. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of noise exposure following division of the stapedial tendon in guinea pigs. Material/Methods: Ten adult albino guinea pigs were used. The stapedial tendon of each right ear was cut. The stapedial tendon in each left ear was left intact and these ears served as a control group. DPOAEs and ABR tests were performed before and 10 days after noise exposure. The animals were exposed to a 110-dB noise stimulus for 6 h in a silent room a week after surgery. Cochleas of the animals were removed, and inner and outer hair cells were examined under a light microscope. Results: We found that noise exposure adversely affected DPOAE measurements at all frequencies except 2 KHz in experimental ears. Noise exposure also produced significantly elevated ABR thresholds in experimental ears at 2, 4, 8, and 16 KHz. On histopathological examination, we found a significantly greater prevalence of apoptotic cells in the experimental ears. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we can conclude that after division of the stapedial tendon, noise exposure may cause damage to the inner ear. This is the first study in the English literature that demonstrates the potential protective effect of the stapedial tendon against acoustic damage. © Med Sci Monit, 2014.
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Animals , Ear, Inner , Guinea Pigs , Hair Cells, Auditory , Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced , In Situ Nick-End Labeling , Ligaments , Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous , Stapedius , Tendons , antibiotic agent , adult , animal experiment , animal model , animal tissue , apoptosis , article , audiometer , cochlea , controlled study , distortion product otoacoustic emission , environmental exposure , evoked brain stem auditory response , guinea pig , hair cell , histopathology , inner ear disease , microscopy , nick end labeling , noise exposure , noise injury , nonhuman , stapes surgery , stimulation , temporal bone , tympanometry , animal , inner ear , ligament , middle ear , noise injury , pathology , pathophysiology , spontaneous otoacoustic emission , tendon