Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with bilateral profound hearing loss

ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 1999 Mar-Apr;61(2):80-3. doi: 10.1159/000027646.

Abstract

We report vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) in 3 patients with bilateral profound hearing loss in order to confirm that they are not of cochlear origin. All of the 3 patients (31-year-old man, 67-year-old man and 47-year-old woman) had bilateral profound hearing loss. They were diagnosed as having congenital hearing loss, bilateral Ménière's disease and inner ear syphilis. Their pure-tone hearing ranged from 81 dB HL to nearly total hearing loss. Stimulation by click (95 dB nHL) evoked biphasic myogenic responses (p13-n23) on the sternocleidomastoid muscle ipsilateral to the stimulated ear. The ear in which the stimulation did not evoke biphasic myogenic responses did not have a caloric response either. These results suggested that VEMPs are not likely of cochlear origin but of vestibular origin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Audiometry, Pure-Tone
  • Caloric Tests
  • Electromyography
  • Evoked Potentials*
  • Female
  • Hearing Loss, Bilateral / etiology
  • Hearing Loss, Bilateral / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neck Muscles / physiology*