ABSTRACT
Recent advances in Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) that have implications for clinical practice will be reviewed in this chapter, with a focus on the intersection and interactions between these measures and other related auditory diagnostic measures. The clinical spectrum of OAEs spans from hearing screening to diagnostic applications. We will primarily focus on diagnostic advances in distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). Although these measures are thought of as sensitive tests to assess OHC function of the inner ear, we should remember that they are indirect, not direct measures of inner ear function. In order to evoke a response, the outer and middle ear must be able to effectively transmit a properly calibrated stimulus from the ear canal to the cochlea, return and measure the response emanating in the reverse direction to the outer ear canal. Thus, in order to interpret OAEs diagnostically for the purpose of detecting sensory hearing loss, we need to understand how they are affected by instrumentation, calibration and physiology of the outer and middle ear. Thus, information in this chapter delves into those issues and is naturally related to other chapters in middle ear measurement with wideband reflectance/absorbance, and to information regarding auditory evoked potentials.
