Otoacoustic emissions
Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE, OAE) belong to objective hearing tests. This method is non-invasive, quick and simple, used for hearing screening in newborns, usually from the 3rd to 4th day of life, when the amniotic fluid disappears from the middle ear. If otoacoustic emissions are accessory, then normal hearing can be assumed. In the absence of otoacoustic emissions, a hearing disorder or defect of varying degrees can be assumed, and a subsequent examination of stem potentials (BERA) or steady-state evoked potentials (SSEP) is necessary.[1][2]
Principle
The examination is based on the knowledge that a healthy ear, when irritated by a sound stimulus, generates sounds (emissions) through periodic oscillations of the outer rows of hair cells, which are, among other things, emitted outside the middle ear and can be recorded and analyzed. Otoacoustic emissions are produced exclusively preneurally and do not show the ability to transmit sound further. Emissions are formed spontaneously or as an echo to a sound stimulus, they can be absorbed by a fault in the transmission system.[3]
Execution
A small probe is inserted into the examinee's external ear canal, which emits sounds and records emissions at the same time. The device displays the pass result (OAE optional) or refer.
