Bone-conducted vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with congenital atresia of the external auditory canal

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2001 Jan;57(1):25-9. doi: 10.1016/s0165-5876(00)00430-4.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether vestibular evoked myogenic potentials from the sternocleidomastoid muscle in response to bone-conducted clicks and short tone-bursts can be used to assess vestibular apparatus function in patients with conductive hearing problems, particularly bilateral external auditory canal atresia.

Design: Evoked-potential responses to bone-conducted auditory stimuli were recorded from the sternocleidomastoid muscle of 15 patients (11 male and four female, aged 4--20 years) with congenital bilateral atresia of the external auditory canal, with or without the middle ear anomalies.

Setting: This study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of the Tokyo University Hospital, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tokyo.

Intervention: Diagnostic.

Outcome measures: Bone-conducted vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in response to clicks and short tone-bursts were recorded with surface electrodes over both sternocleidomastoids in each patient.

Results: In all patients, bone-conducted clicks and short tone-bursts evoked larger biphasic responses from the sternocleidomastoid ipsilateral to the stimulated ear. Short tone-bursts evoked vestibular evoked myogenic potentials with higher amplitude and better waveform morphology than clicks at the same subjective intensity.

Conclusion: Loud auditory stimuli delivered by bone conduction can evoke myogenic potentials from the sternocleidomastoid. This method is a noninvasive, rapid, and convenient test for investigating the vestibular system function in patients with bilateral external auditory canal atresia, with or without the middle ear anomalies.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Conduction / physiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Ear Canal / abnormalities*
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Vestibular Function Tests
  • Vestibule, Labyrinth / physiopathology*