Auditory Brainstem Evoked Responses in Post Head Injury Patients with Hearing Loss

Abstract

Damage to the cochlea and auditory brainstem pathway occurs following head injury and it causes hearing loss and /or dizziness. Observation made in 57 post headinjury patients employing auditory brainstem evoked response and other audiologic test suggests that neuropathological changes do occur besides the cochlea in the nerve and brainstem pathway in the pons and midbrain in a significant percentage of patients. This new knowledge on neuropathological processes that occur in the brainstem level would greatly help in the management of the deaf caused by head trauma. ABR in the rehabilitation program especially the hearing aid and cochlear implementation for the post headtrauma deafness will have its place in the audiologic and rehabilitation sciences.