perforated eardrum
- noun
- /ˈpɜrfəˌreɪtɪd ˈɪrdrʌm/
- Specialized
:
tímpano perforado
- A perforated eardrum can lead to hearing loss and increase the risk of infections.
- a patient with a perforated eardrum
Examples
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All patients had perforated eardrums and Pseudomonas infection susceptible in vitro to both agents, and none had cholesteatoma; 40 of them had previously undergone systemic therapy.
Academic text (2004) -
Several factors influence whether a topical aminoglycoside will be ototoxic in a patient with a perforated eardrum:
Academic text (2006) -
You got a perforated eardrum.
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But last year, the agency basically banned the use of these drops in patients with perforated eardrums.
Academic text (2003) -
You know he's got a perforated eardrum!
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You've got a perforated eardrum.
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Also, if you put an antiseptic in a patient with a perforated eardrum, the patient is going to experience significant pain.
Academic text (2006) -
He suffered from a perforated eardrum after diving without ear protection.
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The doctor explained that a perforated eardrum might require surgery to heal properly.
How Severe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'perforated' (having holes) + 'eardrum' (the tympanic membrane), so it denotes an eardrum with a hole or tear. This is a literal medical description rather than an idiom, and similar constructions exist in other languages, making it readily understandable to a learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Perforated eardrum simply describes the thin skin inside the ear called the eardrum that has a small hole, the perforated part. Because the hole lets sound escape and lets water or germs enter, it means 'a hole or tear in the eardrum' that can cause 'hearing loss' and infections.