[Long-term results of a hearing screening in critically ill patients dismissed from an intensive care unit].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the auditive function of a group of critical patients after discharge from an ICU.


METHODS
An audiological screening was carried out 90-120 days after discharge.


METHODS
Eighteen patients, that had been admitted to a polyvalent ICU for head injury, stroke or complicated neurosurgical procedures. They had all been in a coma.


METHODS
all the patients had undergone orotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation lasting more than a week as well as ototoxic drugs (aminoglycosides and furosemide) administration. Antibiotic plasma levels had been monitored.


RESULTS
At examination, only 7 subjects were aware of being hypoacusic; no other symptom was reported. However audiometry and impedentiometry revealed the presence of mono or bilateral middle ear effusion in 11 subjects (61%) and high frequency neurosensorial hypoacusia in 2 cases (11%). Human voice frequencies were poorly affected by both transmissive and neurosensorial damages so that subjects did not report any hearing loss.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurosensorial hypoacusia was probably caused by amynoglycoside toxicity in spite of blood level monitoring; ABR could be effective in preventing toxic damage by detecting early hearing impairment. Middle ear effusion occurrence is difficult to be prevented but appropriate medical therapy is usually effective after the recovery from coma.
Cavaliere
F
F
Istituto di Anestesiologia e Rianimazione, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma.
Masieri
S
S
Arcangeli
A
A
Carducci
P
P
Proietti
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
Risultati di uno screening audiologico a distanza su pazienti critici ricoverati in Rianimazione.