Evaluation of three intraoperative auditory monitoring techniques in acoustic neuroma surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of three intraoperative auditory monitoring techniques: auditory brainstem response (ABR), electrocochleography (ECoG), and direct eight nerve monitoring (DENM).


METHODS
A retrospective review of the intraoperative recordings of ABR, ECoG, and DENM was performed.


METHODS
A private, neurotologic practice.


METHODS
Sixty-six patients with usable preoperative hearing underwent intraoperative auditory monitoring with ABR, ECoG, or DENM.


METHODS
Intraoperative auditory monitoring.


METHODS
Postoperative pure-tone hearing threshold and word recognition scores.


RESULTS
Of the 66 patients, 16 (24%) had postoperative serviceable hearing. Five (18%) of the 28 with ABR monitoring, 3 (17%) of the 18 with ECoG monitoring, and 8 (40%) of the 20 with DENM monitoring had serviceable hearing after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that DENM may be more effective than ABR or ECoG, although the differences in hearing preservation rates are not statistically significant.
Battista
R A
RA
Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Wiet
R J
RJ
Paauwe
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology