Air-And Bone-Conduction Auditory Brainstem Response in Children with Congenital External Auditory Canal Atresia

• Main Authors: Wen-Xia Chen (Author), Yan Wang (Author), Ping Lu (Author), Yue Huang (Author), Zheng-Min Xu (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Archives of Otolaryngology and Rhinology - Peertechz Publications, 2015-09-09.
• Subjects: Research Article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

<p><strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to determine the clinical value of air- and bone-conduction auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) in children with congenital external auditory canal atresia (EACA).</p><p><strong> Methods:</strong> Air- and bone-conduction click-evoked ABRs in 38 children having congenital EACA were compared with 34 children having normal hearing.</p><p><strong> Results:</strong> ABR threshold for air and bone conduction were 66.53 ± 7.12 and 12.55 ± 6.96 dBnHL, respectively, in children with congenital EACA, as well as 25.32 ± 2.66 and 10.71 ± 4.51 dBnHL, respectively, in children with normal hearing. The two groups showed statistical difference in air-conduction ABR thresholds. Meanwhile, air-bone ABR threshold gap was greater in children with EACA than in children with normal hearing, and bone-conduction ABR wave latencies did not statistically differ between the two groups.</p><p><strong> Conclusion:</strong> Bone-conduction ABR is valuable in assessing the function of cochlea, auditory nerve, and brainstem in individuals with congenital EACA. The study has important clinical value in the objective differential diagnosis of conductive deafness with combined application of air- and boneconduction ABRs.</p>