Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D C Dunckel.
Two cases of radiographically or surgically confirmed acoustic neurinoma are presented. In each case a mild, unilateral sensorineural hearing loss was identified. Results of threshold Bekesy audiometry were negative while the Bekesy comfortable loudness (BCL) procedure indicated significant auditory adaptation in both patients.
Impedance tests, pure tone screening, and pneumatic otoscopy were performed on two groups of children. For the second group, two physicians, one an otolaryngologist and the other a pediatrician, performed the otoscopic examination. Agreement between tympanometry and otoscopy was not influenced by the presence or absence of acoustic reflexes or passing or failing the pure tone screening, but did depend on the criteria used in classifying the tympanograms. Tympanograms classified as having significant negative pressure were those showing the poorest agreement between tympanometry and otoscopy. Between examiners, agreement in otoscopic findings was generally poor. Results are discussed as they apply to establishing pass/fail criteria for screening with impedance.