Hearing assessment in high-risk congenital diaphragmatic hernia survivors

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Neonatal Intensive Care
• Audiology

Background:

• Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a serious condition requiring intensive neonatal care.
• Survivors of high-risk CDH are potentially exposed to audiological risk factors.
• Hearing loss is a known complication in some high-risk infant populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate audiometric outcomes in survivors of high-risk congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
• To assess the impact of specific audiological risk factors on hearing in these survivors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 32 high-risk CDH survivors (born 2003-2009).
• Formal audiological evaluations including tonal/speech audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, and immitance measurements were performed on 26 survivors.
• Follow-up assessments were conducted.

Main Results:

• Twenty-one children (80.8%) had normal hearing.
• Four children (15.4%) presented with conductive hearing loss, which was successfully treated.
• One child (3.8%) had severe sensorineural hearing loss and Turner syndrome.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss in this cohort of high-risk CDH survivors appears lower than reported in other studies.
• The precise association between congenital diaphragmatic hernia and hearing loss requires further investigation.
• Audiological monitoring is crucial for high-risk CDH survivors.