The present study was designed to determine the degree of hearing deficit in patients assigned to receive spinal anesthesia, and to determine if the incidence is related to the size of spinal needle. The study comprised 26 male patients assigned to receive spinal anesthesia using either a 22-gauge (Group I) or a 26-gauge (Group II) spinal needle. Audiometric studies were performed preoperatively and 24 hr after operation, and the decrease of hearing level was determined. For patients with decreased hearing level by >1() dli, a third audiometry was performed 7 days postoperatively. There was a decrease of hearing levels of varied intensity in all patients included in both groups; however, the mean change in hearing level was significant in group I on both sides. In group I, there was a significant (P<0.05) bilateral decrease of hearing level at 125, 250, 500 and 1000 Hz, while a non¬significant decrease at 2000, 3000, 4000 and 6000 Hz compared to the preoperative levels, and a decrease of 10 dB or more at any frequency occurred in 9 of 13 patients (92.3%) in group I and in 4 of 13 patients (30.7%) in group II. Seven days after operation, the 13 patients with decreased hearing level by >10 dB were reevaluated, and persistent decrease in hearing level by WdB was reported in only one patient in group I. We can conclude that the temporary hearing loss is one of postspinal complicatipns that occur by an incidence of 50%; however, this incidence can be reduced by the use of more fine spinal needles. Benha medical journal 2001 |
