[Hearing disorders after cranial trauma]

Oto-audiograms were taken from 50 patients following skull and brain injuries. 22 of them (44%) showed a deterioration of their hearing which was of traumatic origin with high probability. 10 of them (20%) had deterioration of their hearing which was most questionably caused by the trauma. Between 1 and 1 1/2 years later 19 from 22 respectively 9 from 10 patients were reexamined all together. There were 9 improvements, 5 deteriorations and 10 unchanged oto-audiograms. As many injured people do not realize a one-sided deterioration of their hearing, oto-audiograms should routinely be made after head and brain injuries. The secondary deteriorations observed, demonstrate the necessity of otologic aftercare.