Analisys of high frequency auditory thresholds in individuals aged between 18 and 29 years with no otological complaints.

UNLABELLED: Recent studies analyzing audibility thresholds at frequencies over 8 KHz have brought new perspectives on the investigation of auditory damage. These studies, however, have not yet reached a consensus on normal standards for auditory thresholds at these frequencies. AIM: To analyze the results of high frequency auditory thresholds in individuals aged between 18 and 29 years with no otological complaints. TYPE OF STUDY: A prospective, cross-sectional study. METHODS: 60 conventional audiometries were done and 51 of these exams were within normal limits in individuals aged 18 to 29 years. These selected individuals underwent high-frequency audiometry using the AMPLAID 460 device and Sennheiser HD 520 II earphones, and thresholds were obtained in dB HL Results: There was no significant difference in auditory thresholds between males and females. High-frequency auditory thresholds were obtained for individuals with no otological complaint, aged between 18 and 29 years. CONCLUSION: It has been suggested that such data could be used as a normal reference for further studies with similar standard equipment, to analyze auditory alterations presented in young individuals.

[Evaluation of tympanometric alterations in patients subject to general anesthesia with nitrous oxide]. / Avaliação de alterações timpanométricas em pacientes submetidos à anestesia geral com óxido nitroso.

UNLABELLED: The nitrous oxide is an inhaling gas that can increase intratympanic pressure during the anesthetic act and cause negative pressure after it is discontinued, mainly in patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction. These pressure variations may come up with clinical implications such as tympanic membrane rupture, ossicular system disarticulation, haemotympanum, barotraumas, prosthesis displacement stapaedotomy and tympanic graft lateralization after tympanoplasty, in addition to serous fluid entrance into the middle ear during the negative pressure phase. AIM: To evaluate the nitrous oxide influence on the middle ear pressure in a population without tube malfunction performing pre and postoperative tympanometry. STUDY DESIGN: Transversal cohort. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prospective study was carried out with Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho Hospital- UFRJ intern patients, subject to general anesthesia with the use of 50% nitrous oxide from April to June 2003. It was also evaluated whether the duration of surgery, associated anesthetics, presence of allergic rhinitis and nasal septal deviation could contribute to the appearing of intratympanic pressure alteration. RESULTS: The sample is made up of 50 patients, in almost half of them (48%), postoperative tympanometry alterations (type C curve) were found, when comparing to the preoperative tympanometric control (type A curve). Neither sex nor age interfered in the appearing of tympanometry alterations during the post operative as well as the surgery timing. The anesthetic type volatile associate, nasal septal deviation and allergic rhinitis were not able to influence during the postoperative middle ear pressure. CONCLUSION: The nitrous oxide modifies intratympanic pressure during the anesthetic act as well as after it was discontinued.

[Evaluation of patients with dizziness and normal electronystagmography using stabilometry]. / Avaliação de pacientes com queixa de tontura e eletronistagmografia normal por meio da estabilometria.

UNLABELLED: The causes of dizziness are difficult to be diagnosed. At present we have a variety of tests and exams but none of them can adequately evaluate the vestibular function. The most commonly used tests are electronystagmography and posturography. AIM: The objective of this study was to analyze the results of stabilometry in patients with complaints of dizziness who had normal results in electronystagmography and to compare them with a control group. STUDY DESIGN: The study was prospective, sectional transverse. MATERIAL AND METHOD: It was conducted at the ENT department of the University Hospital in Rio de Janeiro's Federal University. Twenty-two patients (fifteen women and seven men) were evaluated with ages, on average, of 47.6+/-9. The control group was made up of twenty-five healthy individuals (eighteen women and seven men) with ages, on average 46.8+/-7. RESULTS: In all analyzed parameters, there were statistically significant differences between the groups. Comparing the results with eyes closed and opened, the antero-posterior medium velocity, in control group, was the only statistically significant result. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the group of patients had results statistically significant in relation to the control group in all the analyzed parameters, showing that the group of patients with complaints of dizziness had more instability in standing position than the group of healthy individuals.