Neonatal hearing screening: a combined click evoked and tone burst otoacoustic emission approach.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated an alternative transient evoked otoacoustic emissions method for screening hearing in newborn babies that may reduce the referral rate of initial screening. METHODS: A total of 1,033 neonates (2,066 ears) from two hospitals were recruited. Subjects had their hearing screened in both ears using a combined approach-both click evoked OAEs (CEOAEs) and 1kHz tone burst evoked OAEs (TBOAEs). RESULTS: 1kHz TBOAEs were more robust than CEOAEs in terms of emission response level and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at both 1 and 1.5kHz frequency bands. The prevalence rate for CEOAE and TBOAE responses in these two frequency bands was significantly different. The combined protocol significantly reduced the referral rate-by almost 2 percentage points for first time screening. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a combined 1kHz TBOAE/CEOAE screening protocol is a feasible and effective way to reduce referral rates, and hence false positive rates, in neonatal hearing screening programs.

[Endoscopic transnasal approach in surgical treatment of ethmoid sphenoid diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the surgical experience of endoscopic sinus surgery for the patients with sphenoid sinus disease. METHOD: Twenty-one patients of sphenoid sinus diseases were treated with endoscopy by nasal cavity and sphenoid sinus. RESULT: During 3 months to four years following up, 20 patients were free from disease postoperatively, 1 patient underwent reoperation because of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Nasal endoscope provide the clear visual field, and operation under nasal endoscope could less pain and minimize injury to normal tissue. Transnasal-sphenoidal endoscopic sinus surgery under local anesthesia seems to be a safe and valuable way.