Hearing loss in mine-blast injuries: pathogenesis and clinical manifestations

Bedoeva V.V., Gappoeva E.T., Gekhaev A.U.

1) North Ossetian State Medical Academy, Vladikavkaz, Russia; 2) Chechen State University named after A.A. Kadyrov, Grozny, Russia; 3) Republican Oncology Dispensary, Grozny, Russia

Mine-blast injuries (MBI) are a serious medical problem in the context of modern military conflicts and terrorist attacks. The most common and severe complication of MBI is hearing loss, which significantly reduces the quality of life of victims, limiting their communication capabilities, contributing to social isolation, deterioration of cognitive functions and psychological state. Hearing loss in MBI develops as a result of the impact of shock and sound waves on the auditory apparatus, which leads to damage to the structures of the middle and inner ear, as well as the auditory nerve. There are conductive, sensorineural and mixed forms of hearing loss, each of which has its own pathogenesis features and requires specific approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Clinical manifestations vary from acute to chronic forms and are accompanied by varying degrees of hearing loss. Hearing loss resulting from MBI is caused by complex mechanical and pathophysiological processes occurring in the auditory apparatus under the influence of a shock wave. The shock wave, interacting with the tissues of the body, causes mechanical damage that affects the structures of the inner ear and the auditory nerve. Understanding the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of hearing loss allows to develop effective methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment, which helps improve the quality of medical care.

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About the Authors

V.V. Bedoeva, Postgraduate Student at the Department of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology, North Ossetian State Medical Academy, Vladikavkaz, Russia; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3575-8784
E.T. Gappoeva, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology, North Ossetian State Medical Academy, Vladikavkaz, Russia
Alikhan U. Gekhaev, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Teaching Assistant at the Department of Hospital Surgery, Chechen State University named after A.A. Kadyrov, Head of the Department of Head and Neck Tumors, Republican Oncology Dispensary, Grozny, Russia; gekhaev_alikhan@mail.ru, SPIN-code:
3125-7758, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8536-1190 (corresponding author)