ABSTRACT
Six professional divers were examined as patients who presented peripheral auditory, vestibular, or central symptoms attributed to incidents which occurred while diving. Each diver received a central auditory processing (CAP) test battery consisting of: (1) a dichotic sentence listening task, (2) a monotic filtered word task, (3) a binaural fusion task, and (4) an alternating speech task. The CAP test results, in all cases substantiated other neurological/vestibular test battery results which we have reported in detail previously.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Diseases/diagnosis , Decompression Sickness/complications , Hearing Tests , Vestibular Nerve , Adult , Central Nervous System Diseases/etiology , Diving , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases/diagnosis , Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases/etiologyABSTRACT
Seventy subjects with sensorineural hearing losses participated in this study. The goal of the study was to examine the effect of peripheral hearing loss on auditory tasks that are used to assess dysfunction within the central auditory pathways. Each subject received a central auditory processing (CAP) test battery that consisted of: (1) a dichotic sentence listening task; (2) a monosyllabic filtered word task; (3) a spondaic word binaural fusion task; and (4) a rapidly alternating speech task. All of these tasks were affected by certain degrees/configurations of sensorineural hearing loss, with the monosyllabic filtered word task being the most seriously affected. From the results of this study, it was concluded that while the CAP test battery can be administered to certain persons with sensorineural hearing losses, all results must be interpreted with caution and in view of the basic audiological assessment.
Subject(s)
Hearing Disorders/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Auditory Threshold , Hearing Tests , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
In the past two decades, we have seen a great increase in the number of injuries from commercial and sport diving. During this time, our knowledge of the physiology and pathophysiology of diving has also increased. As a result, we now can accurately diagnose and successfully treat many of these injuries. Of the commercial and sport divers examined as pateints in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., between September, 1974, and May, 1975, 11 showed positive otologic and otoneurologic findings which are reported herein. One patient was surgically explored for an oval window fistula. In localizing and classifying these injuries, we have utilized extensive and broad-based test batteries, which include complete history, otologic and otoneurologic physical examination, audiometry, a central auditory test battery, and a vestibular test battery. These tests are described. The findings in each of the divers are illustrated and analyzed. This article further describes the use of these test batteries, which were employed to localize otoneurologic pathology in this sample of injured divers. Based on these cases, we have expanded and modified Edmonds' classification of the etiology of vertigo related to diving. We feel that the test batteries which we describe, or similar tests, should be part of the otologic and otoneurologic workup of injuries divers.
