[Measuring vibrations by laser doppler vibrometry of the human tympanic membrane after stapes fixation]

At times preoperative diagnosis of otosclerosis can prove difficult. Even the objective measurement of the stapes reflex is not very conclusive in patients suffering from more severe hearing loss. Laser-Doppler vibrometry measures the velocity or amplitude of the tympanic membrane (umbo) vibrations. Laser-Doppler vibrometry has a sensitivity that is highly by the factor 10(4) than tympanometry. The herewith presented examinations show, that there is a correlation between the frequency patterns of the displacement amplitudes and experimentally simulated otosclerosis.