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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 25(03): e413-e415
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713921
Original Research

Extended High Frequency Audiometry for Revealing Sudden Sensory Neural Hearing Loss in Acute Tinnitus Patients

Rani Abu-Eta 
1   Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shamir (Previously Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel
,
Haim Gavriel
1   Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shamir (Previously Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel
,
Jacob Pitaro
1   Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shamir (Previously Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel
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Abstract

Introduction The measurement of extended high-frequency (EHF) audiometry has become more popular recently, mainly in connection with ototoxicity and noiseinduced hearing loss. New-onset tinnitus evaluation includes a standard hearing test that shows no pathology.

Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility that acute tinnitus is essentially connected to sudden sensory neural hearing loss (SSNHL), by utilizing EHF audiometry in cases in which standard audiometry for frequencies between 250 Hz to 8 kHz is within normal limits.

Methods A retrospective study was conducted between January 2009 and May 2014 that included all patients presenting with acute tinnitus and normal standard audiometry. All patients underwent EHF audiometry and were treated accordingly.

Results Thirty-two patients with acute tinnitus and asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss on EHF audiometry were identified. The average deltas between the ears were between 9.2 and 33dB (worse in the affected ear).

Conclusion Extended high-frequency audiometry up to 20,000 Hz should be performed in all patients with acute tinnitus and standard audiometry within normal limits.

Keywords

extended high frequency audiometry - sudden sensory neural hearing loss - tinnitus


Publication History

Received: 04 February 2020

Accepted: 06 May 2020

Article published online:
30 September 2020

© 2020. Fundação Otorrinolaringologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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