[Approach to cochleovestibular tolerability of aminoglycosides in man. Demonstration of a methodology apropos of a controlled comparative trial of dibekacin versus gentamicin].

A controlled trial comparing the effects of dibekacin and gentamicin in 30 patients has enabled us to standardise the most commonly used vestibulocochlear tests. None of the patients treated with dibekacin showed any auditory disturbance. The only abnormality detected was on vocal audiometry in 7 patients treated with gentamicin. Could vocal audiometry be the first paraclinical test capable of detecting aminoglycoside ototoxicity?