[A comparison of tympanometric with audiometric and otoscopic findings (author's transl)]

An analysis is reported of the assessment of 233 ears by otoscopy from which the tympanic membrane appearances were classed into five groups, audiometry, tympanometry and in 57 cases middle-ear-puncture. Although observer errors must be acknowledged the findings were that the type B tympanogram does not conform to a specific pathology and may occur with different degrees of conductive hearing loss. Furthermore in the diagnosis of middle ear effusion the tympanogram does not supercede careful otoscopy and pure tone audiometry.