ABR Testing in Children Made Easy
By Sokolov, Yuri; Kurtz, Isaac; Steinman, Aaron; Tomasino, Tanya; Hearing Review, 2007 International IssuePublication Date: 2007
Review of the Amplitrode, an auditory brainstem response (ABR) amplifier used in auditory evoked potential (AEP) tests. ABR is the most widely used AEP for newborn hearing screening and differential diagnostics of cochlear versus retrocochlear pathology, as well as for estimating hearing thresholds for hearing aid fitting. As noise-producing physiological artifacts such as muscular activity interfere with the ABR, patients, especially infants and young children, must be sedated or anesthetized during testing. Electromagnetic interferences also necessitate the performance of ABR tests in shielded rooms (Faraday cages). The Amplitrode, a patented in-situ AEP amplifier, snaps directly onto the AEP electrode, and AEP signals are amplified where they appear on the skin surface. In-situ amplification reduces environmental interferences. Conducted noises from AC power lines are eliminated by wireless communication between the recording unit and computer, that is, by removing the electrical path between the system and the power line. Kalman filtering, a digital signal-processing technique, reduces the effects of muscular artifacts and eliminates the need for sedation or anesthesia. In combination, these technologies produce clear responses in any patient and in any environment.
Published by: Ascend Media LLC (Website:http://www.ascendmedia.com)
