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Acoustical factors of noise created by suctioning middle ear fluid
R F Wetmore1, W J Henry, D F Konkle
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Human Communication, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Objective:
To quantify the intensity, spectral content, and duration of exposure for suction noise created during aspiration of middle ear fluid following myringotomy.
Design:
Case series.
Setting:
Tertiary care center.
Patients Or Other Participants:
Convenience sample of 245 myringotomies performed on 124 patients ranging in age from 6 months to 14 years (mean age, 2 years 8 months).
Main Outcome Measures:
Intensity, spectral content, and duration of exposure associated with suction noise were defined by electroacoustic analysis of high-fidelity tape recordings of the noise created during suctioning middle ear fluid.
Results:
The intensity of suction noise ranged from 74 to 117 dB; most acoustic energy was concentrated in the frequency range between 1.7 and 6.0 kHz, and the duration of exposure varied from 4 to 23 seconds.