[A proposition for mutual genesis of hearing loss, recruitment and ear murmurs in the case of acute inner ear alterations (author's transl)].

Pathological changes on the stereocilia of cochlear hair cells observed by Bredberg et al. (1972) after noise exposure and in the early stages of antibiotic intoxication are suggested to cause a mechanical decoupling between the tectorial membrane and the hair cells. During acute episodes of endolymphatic hydrops a similar decoupling is suggested to occur, although for different reasons. Harris (1968) calculated the noise generated at the input to the hair cells on account of the Brownian motion of air particles in front of the tympanic membrane. For tight coupling, he obtained a level of (--)22 dB re auditory threshold. For loose coupling this noise was found to increase to +33 dB, i.e., for 55 dB. These two independent findings are used to account for the combination of hearing loss, recruitment, and tinnitus observed with the inner-ear pathologies mentioned. The proposed hypothesis is in good agreement with clinical observations.