Application of an Intraoperative Auditory Brainstem Response Measurement System in Active Middle Ear Implant Revision Surgery

Abstract

Objective To investigate the benefit of intraoperative auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurements in revision active middle ear implant surgery. Study design Retrospective data analysis. Setting Tertiary referral center with a large active middle ear implant program. Main outcome measures Intraoperative ABR thresholds, audiogram, sound field thresholds, speech understanding in the Freiburger monosyllabic word test. Patients Fourteen patients with active middle ear implant revision surgery. Results The application of the ABR measurement resulted in improved sound field thresholds and enhanced speech understanding. Analysis revealed a significant correlation of intraoperative gain in ABR threshold with the postoperative gain in sound field thresholds. Conclusion ABR monitoring can be a useful tool to provide information intraoperatively about the coupling efficiency of the FMT. Especially in revision surgeries, this might help to improve postoperative hearing success.