Wideband Tympanometry Findings in Healthy Neonates

Objectives The objective of the present study was to describe pressurized wideband absorbance at tympanometric peak pressure (WBA (TPP) ) and 0 daPa (WBA (0) ) in healthy Caucasian neonates.Subjects A total of 249 ears from 249 neonates who passed a test battery of 1,000-Hz tympanometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions and automated auditory brainstem response were included in the study.Method WBA (TPP) and WBA (0) were averaged in one-third octave frequencies from 0.25 to 8 kHz. Data were statistically analyzed for effects of frequency, ear, and gender.Results Normative WBA (TPP) and WBA (0) data obtained from healthy neonates are presented. There was no significant difference between WBA (TPP) and WBA (0) at all frequencies. Both WBA (TPP) and WBA (0) demonstrated a multipeaked pattern with maxima of 0.80 and 0.72 at 1.25 to 1.5 and 6 kHz, respectively, and two minima of 0.45 and 0.49 at 0.4 to 0.5 and 4 kHz, respectively. The effects of ear and gender were not significant for both WBA measures.Conclusion Pressurized WBA (TPP) and WBA (0) data were provided for healthy Caucasian neonates. They will be useful for the assessment of middle ear function and assist in differentiating between conductive and sensorineural hearing losses in neonates.