Use of transtympanic round window electrocochleography for threshold estimations in children.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of round window electrocochleography for the estimation of hearing thresholds in difficult-to-test children.

STUDY

DESIGN

The study was a retrospective analysis.

SETTING

A standard day-stay operating room was used.

PATIENTS: Round window electrocochleography was performed on 198 children between January 1993 and January 1996.

INTERVENTION: The intervention was diagnostic.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Clinically reliable pure-tone audiograms were obtained in 101 patients (50.9%) for comparisons of electrocochleography and behavioral thresholds.

RESULTS

The mean differences between electrocochleography and behavioral thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz were less than 6 dB. Ninety-seven percent of the results were within +30 to -30 dB, and approximately 86% of the results were within +20 to -20 dB. Good correlation coefficients of 0.83, 0.84, 0.91 and 0.88 were found between electrocochleography and behavioral thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz, respectively. Only 2 of 395 ears were complicated postoperatively by suppurative otitis media. There were no anesthetic complications.

CONCLUSION

Round window electrocochleography can be used in conjunction with other audiometric methods for threshold estimations in the difficult-to-test children and as part of the preoperative assessment for cochlear implantation.