title: Transtympanic electrocochleography in patients with syphilis and hearing loss.
abstract: Transtympanic electrocochleography was carried out on 18 syphilitic patients (30 ears were tested) most of whom were suffering from the late onset congenital form of the disease. A diphasic action potential with a large negative summating potential on the descending limb was found in 77.7% of ears; the cochlear microphonic potential was always of small amplitude. While these findings are not pathognomonic of syphilis, they are characteristic and may be explained on pathological grounds.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003051:Cochlea / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007762:Labyrinthitis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013587:Syphilis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000473:pathology