Otologic injuries caused by airbag deployment

Airbags are clearly successful at mitigating injury severity during motor v ehicle accidents. Deployment unfortunately has introduced new injury-causin g mechanisms. A retrospective review of 20 patients who sustained otologic injuries resulting from airbag inflation was conducted. The most common sym ptoms were hearing loss in 17 (85%) and tinnitus in 17 (85%). Objective hea ring loss was documented in 21 of 24 (88%) subjectively affected ears; this included unilateral and bilateral sensorineural, unilateral conductive, an d mixed hearing losses. Ten patients (50%) had dysequilibrium. Four subject s (20%) had a tympanic membrane perforation; each required surgical closure . Ear orientation toward the airbag was found to be associated with hearing loss (P = 0.027), aural fullness (P = 0.039), and tympanic membrane perfor ation (P = 0.0004). A wide variety of airbag-induced otologic injuries occu r and may have long-term sequelae. It is important for health care personne l to be aware of these potential problems.