Acoustic Analysis of Used Tuning Forks

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated used aluminum tuning forks (TFs) for fundamental frequencies (FF), overtones, and decay times. MATERIALS and METHODS: In total, 15 used (1 C1, 11 C2, and 3 C3) and 1 unused (C2) TFs were tuned, and the recorded sound data were analyzed using the Praat sound analysis program. RESULTS: It was found that FFs of the recorded sounds produced by the used C2-TFs presented a high variability from 0.19\% to 74.15\% from the assumed FFs, whereas this rate was smaller (1.49\%) in the used C3-TFs. Further, decay times of the used C2-TFs varied from 5.41 to 40.97 s. CONCLUSION: This study, as the first of its kind in the literature, reported that some of the used aluminum TFs lost their physical properties that are important for clinical TF tests. It could be said that this is a phenomenon related to metal fatigue, which is common in aluminum products due to the cyclic load

Management of children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD)

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: ANSD is a challenging problem. OBJECTIVE: To present our experience on management of the children with ANSD with respect to clinical data. METHODS: This retrospective study included all children younger than 16 years of age who applied to the department between 2005 and 2013 (with the exception of newborn hearing screening NHS referrals). The data were derived from pure tone, OAEs and ABR tests, and further medical risk factors of the subjects were evaluated. RESULTS: ANSD was recognized in 74 ears of 40 children (B/U: 34/6) among 1952 children with SNHL (2.04%) detected among 9520 applicants to the department (0.42%). The clinical tests revealed that hearing loss greater than 15 dB was present in both ears of 38 cases. The degree of hearing loss was profound in 48% children, severe in 12% children, moderate in 28% children, mild in 10% children and normal in 5% children. ABRs were absent/abnormal in 37/3 ears and CMs were detected in all. Acoustic reflexes were absent in all ears. Rehabilitation was managed by CI and hearing aids in 15 and 23 cases, respectively. FM system was given to two cases displaying normal hearing but poor speech discrimination in noisy environments. CONCLUSION: ANSD is a relatively challenging problem for the audiology departments because of its various clinical features and difficulties in management. Our patients with ANSD most commonly displayed profound hearing loss. The number of overlooked cases may be minimized by performing ABR and OAE in every case referred with the suspicion of hearing loss

Management of children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD)

Introduction: ANSD is a challenging problem. Objective: To present our experience on management of the children with ANSD with respect to clinical data. Methods: This retrospective study included all children younger than 16 years of age who applied to the department between 2005 and 2013 (with the exception of newborn hearing screening NHS referrals). The data were derived from pure tone, OAEs and ABR tests, and further medical risk factors of the subjects were evaluated. Results: ANSD was recognized in 74 ears of 40 children (B/U: 34/6) among 1952 children with SNHL (2.04\%) detected among 9520 applicants to the department (0.42\%). The clinical tests revealed that hearing loss greater than 15 dB was present in both ears of 38 cases. The degree of hearing loss was profound in 48\% children, severe in 12\% children, moderate in 28\% children, mild in 10\% children and normal in 5\% children. ABRs were absent/abnormal in 37/3 ears and CMs were detected in all. Acoustic reflexes were absent in all ears. Rehabilitation was managed by CI and hearing aids in 15 and 23 cases, respectively. FM system was given to two cases displaying normal hearing but poor speech discrimination in noisy environments. Conclusion: ANSD is a relatively challenging problem for the audiology departments because of its various clinical features and difficulties in management. Our patients with ANSD most commonly displayed profound hearing loss. The number of overlooked cases may be minimized by performing ABR and OAE in every case referred with the suspicion of hearing loss. (C) 2015 Associacao Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cervico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecornmons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on the central auditory system

Background/aim: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disease characterized by repeated hypoxia attacks during sleep. The effect of hypoxia on the central nervous system is a well-known entity. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of OSAS on the central auditory system. Materials and methods: Twenty-one OSAS patients diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG) and 10 control subjects were included in the study. After a thorough otorhinolaryngology examination, all subjects underwent pure tone audiometry (250 to 8000 Hz frequency). The subjects with normal otoscopic examination and hearing threshold were included in the study. All participants underwent speech discrimination analyses and auditory time processing and sequencing tests, i.e. frequency pattern test (FPT) and duration pattern test (DPT). Results: Although hearing was normal in the OSAS patients, significant loss was observed in the speech discrimination rates compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Significant disruption was also detected in the FPT and SPT in the OSAS patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Repeated hypoxic episodes in OSAS resulted in statistically significant impairments in the central auditory pathways, even if the hearing threshold was within normal limits

Audiologic evaluations of children with mucopolysaccharidosis

Introduction: Mucopolysaccharidosis is a hereditary lysosomal storage disease, which develops due to a deficiency in the enzymes that play a role in the metabolism of glycosaminoglycans (GAG). The incidence of mucopolysaccharidosis is 1/25,000, with autosomal recessive inheritance (except for MPS II). Mucopolysaccharidosis occurs in seven different types, each with a different congenital deficiency of lysosomal enzymes. In mucopolysaccharidosis patients, even though progression of clinical findings is not prominent, the disease advances and causes death at early ages. Facial dysmorphism, growth retardation, mental retardation, and skeletal or joint dysplasia are the most frequently found symptoms in these patients. Objective: The purpose of our study is to present the types of hearing loss types and tympanometric findings of patients with mucopolysaccharidosis referred to our clinic with suspicion of hearing loss. Methods: After otorhinolaryngological examination, 9 patients with different types of mucopolysaccharidosis, underwent to immittance and audiometric evaluations, performed according to their physical and mental abilities, and ages, in order to determine their hearing thresholds. Results: The audiometric findings of the 9 patients followed with mucopolysaccharidosis were reported separately for each case. Conclusion: Based on the high frequency of hearing loss in mucopolysaccharidosis patients, early and detailed audiological evaluations are highly desirable. Therefore, regular and systematic multidisciplinary evaluations are very important. (C) 2015 Associacao Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cervico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda