[Effect of the middle ear status on the recording of vestibular evoked myogenic potential--VEMP].

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the middle ear status on the recording of air- and bone-conducted vestibular evoked myogenic potential. Forty eight children were included in the study, ranging in age from 4 to 10 years. All of the children underwent otoscopy, pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and air- and bone-conducted VEMP in response to click. There were 3 groups according to the condition of the middle ear: group I--52 ears (type A and C1 tympanogram, pure tone average < or = 20 dB), group II--23 ears (type C2 and B tympanogram, pure tone average < or = 20 dB), group III--21 (type B tympanogram, pure tone average > 20 dB). The threshold, presence of correct waveform morphology of the response and latency was evaluated. The condition of the middle ear has no significant effect on the recording of VEMP and mean level of the response threshold with bone stimulation, based on the performed studies. However, with air stimulation it has effect on the recording of VEMP, increase of the mean threshold response and shortening of latency p13 and n23.