title: The influence of epidural anesthesia on the hearing system after normal labor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to evaluate the influence of epidural anesthesia on the hearing system in women undergoing normal labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined two groups of patients: women with epidural anesthesia underwent four tests of distortion product otoacoustic emissions(DPOAEs): on admission, and fifteen minutes, one hour, and three hours after the last epidural bolus of local anesthetic. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were performed on admission, and one hour, and three hours after the last epidural bolus. Women who gave birth without epidural anesthesia underwent DPOAEs tests on admission, during a uterine contraction, during active delivery, and three hours after labor. ABR tests were performed on admission, during a uterine contraction, and three hours after labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  twenty patients participated in the study. Twelve gave birth with epidural anesthesia and eight without anesthesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant changes in DPOAEs and ABR recordings were found between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidural anesthesia does not impair the sensory or the neural elements of the hearing system and therefore does not influence hearing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Mordechai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Nili
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shkolnik
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kochva
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: German
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Lev
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greemberg
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puterman
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000187:drug effects*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006309:Hearing / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014590:Uterine Contraction
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine