Otoacoustic emissions: assessment of hearing after tympanostomy tube insertion

• Published in: Clinical otolaryngology and allied sciences Vol. 21; no. 6; p. 492
• Main Authors: Daya, H, Hinton, A E, Radomskiej, P, Huchzermeyer, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.12.1996
• Subjects: Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Child, Preschool; Hearing Disorders - diagnosis; Hearing Tests - methods; Humans; Middle Ear Ventilation; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0307-7772
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2273.1996.tb01097.x

This study evaluates the use of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions as an alternative to pure tone audiometry for the assessment of hearing after tympanostomy tube insertion. Otoacoustic emissions and pure tone audiometry were carried out in 32 patients in whom tympanostomy tubes had been inserted. Otoacoustic emissions were detected in 78% of patients, whereas pure tone audiometry testing was only possible in 59%. Of 13 children who were 3 years of age or under, otoacoustic emissions could be measured in 62%, compared to pure tone audiometry which was only possible in 8%. Otoacoustic emission testing took on average 3 min, which was less than half the time for pure tone audiometry testing which took 7 min.