Influence of the type of transducer in profound hearing loss.
BACKGROUND
individuals with profound hearing loss may present vibrotactile responses when tested with supra-aural earphones due to the large skull area exposed to vibration in these transducers.


OBJECTIVE
to verify the influence of the type of transducer when assessing air conducted pure tone thresholds in individuals with profound sensorineural hearing loss.


METHODS
50 individuals, ranging in age from 16 to 55 years, were submitted to a clinical history questionnaire, meatoscopy, and pure tone and speech audiometry, using both TDH-39 supra-aural earphones and ER-3A insert earphones.


RESULTS
in both pure tone and speech testing, thresholds were higher when obtained using insert earphones, with statistical significant differences for 250Hz and 1000Hz. Considering right and left ear testing with the different transducers, this difference was greater for the right ear, with statistical significant differences only for 250 Hz. Regarding gender, it was observed that the difference between the transducers was greater in males, with statistical significant differences for 250 Hz. However, in the SDT (Speech Detection Threshold), the greatest difference was found in females.


CONCLUSIONS
people with bilateral sensorineural profound hearing loss presented higher (worse) thresholds with insert earphones (ER-3A) than with supra aural earphones (TDH-39) for low frequencies (250Hz and 1000Hz), confirming the existence of vibrotactile responses with supra aural earphones.
Marangoni
Andréa Tortosa
AT
Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. andreatortosa@hotmail.com
Gil
Daniela
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014159:Transducers; D014732:Vibration; D055815:Young Adult