Assessment of hearing ability with pure-tone audiometry and otoacoustic emission methods in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia

Aim: To investigate the frequency of hearing loss after spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia using pure-tone audiometry and otoacoustic emission methods.Materials and methods: A total of 80 patients (40 females, 40 males, aged 18–65 years) were included in the study. For spinal anesthesia, a 27-gauge Quincke spinal needle was entered at the first attempt into the subarachnoidal space through the L4–L5 interval with the patient in the lateral decubitus position. The first day before spinal anesthesia, pure-tone audiometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emission, distortion product otoacoustic emission, and tympanometry were performed on all patients, and the same procedures were repeated on the postoperative second day.Results: No problem was encountered related to surgery and anesthesia in any of the patients. Comparative pre- and postoperative results of pure-tone audiometry performed on the right and left ears were not significantly different in any of the patients (P 0.05). Additionally, the outcomes of pre- and postoperatively performed transient evoked otoacoustic emission and of distortion product otoacoustic emission of both ears were not significantly different (P 0.05).Conclusion: According to our study, spinal anesthesia performed with a 27-gauge Quincke needle does not cause transient or permanent hearing loss.