title: Auditory function after spinal anaesthesia: the effect of differently designed spinal needles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recurrent, bilateral or unilateral, persistent or transient, mild or profound hearing loss has been reported after spinal anaesthesia. We studied the effects of the needle type (Quincke, ballpen, pencil-point spinal needles) on hearing loss after spinal anaesthesia with the use of pure-tone audiometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five ASA physical status I patients scheduled for elective inguinal herniorraphy with spinal anaesthesia were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups. Group Q (n = 15) patients received spinal anaesthesia through a 25-gauge (G) Quincke spinal needle, group B (n = 15) patients received the same through a 25-G ballpen spinal needle and those in group P (n = 15) received the same through a 25-G pencil-point spinal needle. Patients were interviewed about postoperative complaints such as postdural puncture headache, vertigo, nausea-vomiting, transient neurological symptoms and major neurological deficits. Pure-tone audiometry was performed by an audiologist at specific time intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of patients who had greater than 10 dB hearing loss in group Q was significantly more than that found in group B and group P at 250, 500, 4000 and 6000 Hz on postoperative day 1. When group B and group P were compared for change in hearing, no statistically significant difference was detected at any frequency tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because the use of ballpen and pencil-point needles reduces hearing loss after spinal anaesthesia, these needles are preferred.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. atillaerol@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erol
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Topal
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arbag
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilicaslan
authors.forename: Ruhiye
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reisli
authors.forename: Seref
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otelcioglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles