THE EFFECT OF MIDDLE-EAR PRESSURE ON TRANSIENT EVOKED OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS

To determine the effect of middle ear pressure on transient evoked oto acoustic emissions (TEOAEs], emissions were recorded in ears with tymp anometric peak pressures less-than-or-equal-to -100 daPa and audiometr ic thresholds less-than-or-equal-to 30 dB HL at 500 through 2000 Hz. T EOAEs were alternately recorded at ambient pressure and at the tympano metric peak pressure. As demonstrated for the 14 ears tested, equaliza tion of the middle ear pressure increased TEOAE amplitude. Reproducibi lity was similarly improved in 12 of 14 ears. Unequalized middle ear p ressure attenuated low frequency emissions more than high frequency em issions. These amplitude and spectrum differences were consistent with previously reported observations of the effects of ear canal pressure on otoacoustic emissions. Results suggest that unequalized middle ear pressure may increase the occurrence of false positive failures, if o toacoustic emission testing is used for hearing screenings without con sideration of middle ear pressure.