[Blast injuries of the ear]

Since the beginning of the war, during the last year, we have examined 255 patients who were exposed to shelling of different origin and caliber. Our pilot study included 197 of patients. We have excluded patients having serious head and brain injuries, as well as cases previously having chronic ear infection, hearing damage and disturbances of vestibulary functions. Patients over 55 years of age were also not included in our study. Our paper presents the consequences of blast injuries to the ear, as well as type and degree of hearing damage. Acquired data are based on anamnesis, ENT examinations, functional hearing tests, examinations of vestibulary function and patient follow-up. Our examinations have pointed out that the majority of the examined patients had sensory neural hearing damage. On the basis of that, we can conclude that the blast had a greater effect on the sensory structures of the inner ear than the middle ear.