Abstract
Audiometry and measurement of 2 otoacoustic emissions-transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) -were done over time in patients with sudden deafness, and the relationship between the prognosis of hearing and the detection of otoacoustic emissions was evaluated. Results showed that at a low wavelength band of 1, 000 Hz, there was strong involvement of TEOAE, whereas at a high wavelength band of 4, 000 Hz, involvement of DPOAE was slightly higher compared to TEOAE. These results show some degree of agreement with findings reported to date in the literature. Measurement of otoacoustic emissions has been said to have little usefulness in estimation of the prognosis of sudden deafness.
However, sudden deafness can be classified based on audiograms. Supplemental measurement of the 2types of otoacoustic emissions, TEOAE and DPOAE, presents the advantage of providing additional information. We surmised that simultaneous measurement of TEOAE and DPOAE has value since it enables objective judgment of the site of injury in the inner ear and generates clinically useful information.
