Feasibility of otoacoustic emissions as a hearing screen following grommet insertion

The use of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions as a hearing screen following grommet insertion

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing as a screening tool for hearing loss in children, after grommet insertion.

METHOD

A prospective study was conducted of 48 children (91 ears) aged three to 16 years who had undergone grommet insertion for glue ear. At post-operative review, pure tone audiometry was performed followed by transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing. Outcomes for both tests, in each ear, were compared.

RESULTS

The pure tone audiometry threshold was ≤ 20 dB in 85 ears (93.4 per cent), 25 dB in two ears (2.2 per cent) and ≥ 30 dB in four ears (4.4 per cent). Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were detected in 69 ears (75.8 per cent). The sensitivity of transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing for detecting hearing loss was 100 per cent for ≥ 30 dB loss but only 66.7 per cent for ≥ 25 dB loss.

CONCLUSION

Transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing offers a sensitive means of detecting hearing loss of ≥ 30 dB following grommet insertion in children. However, the use of such testing as a screening tool may miss some cases of mild hearing loss.

The effects of chronic otitis media with effusion on the measurement of distortion products of otoacoustic emissions: presurgical and postsurgical examination

This study aims to determine the influence of middle ear effusion and inserted tympanostomy tubes on the feasibility of recording and of the amplitude of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). Effusion in the middle ear reduces the number of measurable responses and their amplitude in the whole range of frequencies from 0.5 to 8 kHz. These changes were more distinct in mucous than in serous effusion. There was an increase in the number of measurable responses and amplitude of DPOAE after surgery. Inserted tympanostomy tubes have no influence on the feasibility of DPOAE recording but reduce their amplitude in comparison to the control group.