ABSTRACT
Two cases suggest that long-standing recurrent otitis media contributes to delayed brain-stem evoked response wave III and V latencies persisting after resolution of the otitis media. The persistence of the delayed waves may not reflect structural damage, but rather may still reflect a slowly recovering system.
Subject(s)
Brain Stem/physiopathology , Evoked Potentials, Auditory , Otitis Media/physiopathology , Audiometry, Evoked Response , Child , Electroencephalography , Female , Hearing Loss, Conductive/etiology , Hearing Loss, Conductive/physiopathology , Humans , Otitis Media/complications , RecurrenceABSTRACT
The preceeding cases were selected to illustrate the contribution of BER audiometry in threshold testing for infants and malingerers, diagnosis of VIIIth nerve tumors, and identification of brainstem lesions. We feel, however, that these represent only the fundamental applications of BER and that a whole new diagnostic dimension wil evolve. The day only limitations of which the authors are aware in the use of brainstem evoked response is that a patient with a high tone sensorineural hearing loss may have abnormal wave forms or, if the high tone loss is severe, the waves may be totally absent. Brainstem evoked responses are unaffected by anesthesia and drugs. The patient does have to be relatively quiet during the test; this can be accomplished with sedation, if necessary.
Subject(s)
Audiometry, Evoked Response , Audiometry , Adult , Brain Diseases/diagnosis , Brain Stem/physiology , Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/diagnosis , Female , Hearing , Hearing Loss/diagnosis , Hearing Loss, Functional/diagnosis , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Neuroma, Acoustic/diagnosisABSTRACT
We reviewed the findings in 1,220 cases of sudden sensori-neural hearing impairment encountered over a nine-year period at the Otologic Medical Group. A thorough neuro-otologic evaluation is indicated in each case. Ten patients had an acoustic tumor. A vasodilator regimen was prescribed in 380 cases and resulted in hearing improvement in 40%. Favorable prognostic findings were a low tone loss and absence of vertigo.
