Otolaryngology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Hearing loss following head injury is a major medical problem in both adults and children, which may go unnoticed when it does not affect speech frequencies. Study: In the study done at the ENT Department of Christian Medical College, India, 60 patients with history suggestive of mild head injury were evaluated over a period of six months. Results: A vast majority (75%) of the RTAs (Road traffic accidents) was two wheeler accidents. Majority (83%) was males and 66% were between the ages of 20-50 years. The incidence of road traffic accidents was high in the age group of 20-50 years. Pure tone audiometry assessment of hearing immediately post trauma with respect to frequencies affected revealed that hearing loss was mainly in the high frequency region with greatest loss noticed at 4000 Hz and 8000 Hz. In case of mild hearing loss on PTA, there was absence of emissions in 70% at 1000 Hz, 69% at 2000 Hz, 83% at 4000 Hz. This would suggest that damage to outer hair cells becomes more pronounced when there is manifest hearing loss on PTA. In few cases with normal hearing, DPOAEs were absent throughout the evaluation time period suggesting irreversible damage to outer hair cells. Conclusion: Higher the frequencies affected and severe the hearing loss, poorer was the prognosis. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions assessment at 3000 and 4000 Hz were found to be significant and has a higher predictive value in assessing outer hair cell damage.

Biography

Email: paulecmcvellore@gmail.com