Structural stiffening in the human middle ear due to static pressure: Finite-element analysis of combined static and...

The vibration response of the middle ear (ME) to sound changes when static pressure gradients are applied across the tympanic membrane (TM). To date, it has not been well understood which mechanisms lead to these changes in ME vibration response. In this study, a 3D finite-element model of the human ME was developed that simulates the sound-induced ME vibration response when positive and negative static pressures of up to 4 kPa are applied to the TM. Hyperelasticity of the soft-tissue components was considered to simulate large deformations under static pressure. Some ME components were treated as viscoelastic materials to capture the difference between their static and dynamic stiffness, which was needed to replicate both static and dynamic ME behavior. The change in dynamic stiffness with static preload was simulated by linearization of the hyperelastic constitutive model around the predeformed state. For the preloaded harmonic response, we found that the statically deformed ME geometry introduced asymmetry in the vibration loss between positive and negative pressure, which was due to the TM cone shape. As opposed to previous assumptions, the prestress in the ME due to static pressure had a substantial impact on the vibration response. We also found that material nonlinearity led to a higher stiffening at the umbo but a less pronounced stiffening at the footplate compared to the linear elastic condition. The results suggest that flexibility of the incudomalleolar joint (IMJ) enhances the decoupling of static umbo and footplate displacements, and that viscosity and viscoelasticity of the IMJ could play a role in the transfer of sound-induced vibrations from the umbo to the footplate. The components of the incudostapedial joint had minimal effect on ME mechanical behavior.