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Electrophysiologic Tests and Retrocochlear Assessment
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) – are an objective measure of the inner ear’s sensory cell function. A small earphone will be placed in your ear as you listen to varying tones. You will not need to respond as the evaluation is looking for an automatic response of the inner ear. This test usually lasts for a few minutes in each ear.
Electrocochleography (ECoG) – assesses inner ear function to determine if cochlear hydrops are present. This is another evaluation in which you will not need to respond during the test. You will be lying down and listening to clicks and the test may take anywhere from 30-45 minutes.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) – is a useful clinical tool to help detect, localize and monitor auditory and neurotologic deficits as well as used to estimate hearing thresholds. Similar to the ECoG, you will be lying down and listening to clicks.
- When testing an adult, we are looking for site-of-lesion and the test may take approximately 30 minutes. It is recommended not to consume alcohol or caffeine prior to the test.
- If testing an infant, we are looking for responses to help us estimate thresholds, degree and type of hearing loss, therefore the test may last 2-3 hours. We will not sedate an infant if he/she is less than 6 months old. We ask that you bring a blanket, bottle, pacifier and extra diapers. We also recommend to have your infant fed just prior to the evaluation and try to keep him/her awake during the car ride to the appointment. You may also try to schedule your infant to be tested during his/her regular nap time. If your child is over 6 months of age, we will schedule for a sedated evaluation with a physician present in the clinic.
Auditory Steady State Responses (ASSR) – is an evaluation used to obtain objective frequency specific auditory information quickly and effectively by assessing multiple frequencies at the same time for both ears. The intensity levels are much higher than an ABR, therefore, it is useful for evaluating severe-to-profound hearing loss in infants and young children. The recording still requires a quiet state from the patient, therefore sedation may still be recommended for infants and young children.
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) – is an electromyographic response evoked by sound to assess the function of the saccule, a portion of the inner ear. We perform these tests on patients suspected for superior canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS). At Advanced Otolaryngology, P.C., we record VEMPs in two ways: a cervical VEMP (cVEMP) and an ocular VEMP (oVEMP). In addition to lying on a table listening to clicks or tones, surface electrodes are placed on the forehead, neck and eyes as you will be asked to either lift your head off of the table or roll your eyes upward for a few seconds to contract certain muscles in order to record the response. This test may usually last 30-45 minutes.
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