Measurement of the acoustic reflex without a pressure seal.
Obtaining a hermetic seal in the external auditory canal is often a major obstacle in impedance audiometry. In the present study, the acoustic reflex threshold was determined for three groups of subjects, first with and then without a pressure-tight seal. It was found that for subjects with normal hearing or sensorineural hearing loss and normal tympanograms, 96% of the measurements obtained without a pressure seal were within 5 dB of those obtained with a seal. Among the subjects who exhibited negative middle ear pressure, the acoustic reflex could be measured consistently at the point of maximum compliance, while no response was observed without a pressure seal.
D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications; D011312:Pressure; D012018:Reflex