[Significance of electrocochleography within the scope of audiologic diagnosis]

Despite the extensive applicability of brainstem evoked response audiometry (= BERA), electrocochleography (= ECochG) occupies an undisputed place among audiological diagnostic methods. It is useful, among other things, in the early identification or confirmation of hearing defects in children, since it permits measurement of the auditory threshold and of the characteristics of the suprathreshold area, and may aid in excluding ambiguous findings resulting from subjective audiometric or other objective audiometric methods in certain cases. In this regard, it makes possible a valid early prescription of hearing aids to children with auditory defects; in addition, in certain cases it provides valuable additional information and can be employed in solving simulation and masking problems. The diagnostic validity of ECochG in Menière's disease requires continued investigation. To sum up, we can say that ECochG should be performed only at centres where the frequency of examinations guarantees the necessary expert knowledge.