Multifrequency tympanometry in normal adults

Multifrequency tympanograms were recorded from 56 ears of 28 normal-hearing adult subjects to obtain normative data and to determine abnormal criteria for tympanometric measures. Static admittance, tympanometric width, and tympanometric peak pressure at 226 Hz were analyzed along with eight different estimates of the resonant frequency of the middle ear. Based on test-retest reliability and normal distribution characteristics, preferred methods for clinical estimation of resonant frequency were determined. The sweep pressure mode (ear canal pressure is swept while probe frequency is held constant) is preferred for detection of abnormally high resonant frequencies. The sweep frequency mode (probe frequency is swept while ear canal air pressure is held constant) is preferred for identification of abnormally low resonant frequencies. Compensation for ear canal volume at +200 daPa was preferred over other compensation methods for estimation of middle ear resonant frequency.