Clinical Otology

Otology is a branch of otorhinolaryngology, which studies the physiology and pathology of the ear, its diseases, diagnosis and treatment. Trauma can affect the inner, external and middle ear structures individually or in combination, depending on the type and severity of the injury. The most frequent cause is a blunt head injury caused by a fall or road traffic accident (RTA). Such cases of head injury are usually associated with a temporal bone fracture combined with other injuries. Otologic trauma is classified into different types such as ossicular discontinuity, injuries of the external ear, concussive injuries to the structures of the inner ear, and disruptions of the tympanic membrane (TM). Patients with all types of traumatic conductive hearing loss can be treated using conservative methods such as watchful waiting and hearing aids. This book unravels the recent studies in the field of clinical otology. A number of latest researches have been included to keep the readers up-to-date with the global concepts in this area of medicine.