Does the location of electrode on tympanic membrane matter when recording electrocochleography?

Abstract

Background

The non-invasive tympanic electrocochleography (TM-ECochG) is useful for clinical diagnoses. Nevertheless, the influence of the electrode location on tympanic membrane (TM) on ECochG results needs to be studied.

Objective

The aim of the present study was to compare the TM-ECochG results obtained when the electrode was placed on the superior region versus the inferior region of TM.

Materials and methods

Forty healthy adults (aged 29 to 50 years) participated in this comparative study. The TM-ECochG testing was conducted with the electrode placed on the superior and inferior regions of TM.

Results

SP and AP amplitudes were statistically higher for the inferior region of TM (p < .05). In contrast, SP/AP ratios were comparable between the two regions of TM (p = .417).

Conclusions and significance

In TM-ECochG recording, when the electrode was placed on the inferior region of TM, SP and AP amplitudes were greater than when the electrode was placed on the superior region of TM. On the other hand, SP/AP amplitude ratio was not affected by the location of electrode on TM. The findings from the present study could be useful to guide clinicians in optimizing TM-ECochG recording when testing their respective patients.

Chinese abstract

背景：无创鼓室耳蜗电图 (TM-ECochG) 可用于临床诊断。然而, 电极在鼓膜 (TM)上的位置对 ECochG结果的影响需要研究。

目的：本研究的目的是比较在鼓膜上部区域与下部区域放置电极所获得的 TM-ECochG 结果。

材料和方法：40 名健康成年人（年龄 29 至 50 岁）参与了这项比较研究。将电极放在鼓膜上、下区域进行TM-ECochG 测试。

结果： 鼓膜下部区域的 SP 和 AP 幅度在统计学上更高（p < .05）。相比之下, 鼓膜的两个区域之间的 SP/AP 比率相当（p= .417）。

结论和意义：在 TM-ECochG 记录中, 当电极放置在 TM 下部区域时, SP 和 AP 幅度大于电极放置在 TM 上部区域时。另一方面, SP/AP 振幅比不受电极在 TM 上的位置的影响。本研究的结果可能有助于指导临床医生优化测试患者时的 TM-ECochG 记录。

Keywords:

• Electrocochleography
• tympanic membrane
• electrode
• location

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This project did not receive any funding.