Does tympanic membrane perforation have a protective effect on the inner ear in blast-injured patients?

Background: Blast-induced hearing loss is an acoustic trauma commonly caused by high-energy explosions of improvised explosive devices, and the auditory system may be affected by blast damage. This study aims to evaluate the protective effect of tympanic membrane perforation (TMP) on the inner ear against blast injury.

Methods: In this study, 43 adult patients who had suffered blast injury were divided into three subgroups: intact tympanic membranes in both ears, unilateral TMP, and bilateral TMP.