Here’s What Dr. Fligor Found in a Pediatric Study
Why do some patients develop sensorineural hearing loss after receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy? What is the time progression, and why do some patients experience a gradual worsening of sensorineural hearing loss?
Our own Dr. Brian Fligor, audiologist-in-chief and president here at Tobias & Battite Hearing Wellness, investigated these critical questions with fellow researchers in a 2005-released pediatric study. The answers may help drive prevention and other important healthy-hearing efforts.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy, an advanced life-support procedure for heart/lung functioning, works by circulating and oxygenizing blood drawn from the patient, returning it to the body after processing. The therapy allows time for situations such as improvement from an underlying condition or receipt of a suitable transplant.
Some survivors or “graduates” of the process develop sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), the most common type of hearing loss. SNHL, generally involving damage to the inner ear, the hearing nerve, or the sound-transmitting hair cells of the ear’s cochlea, often originates with excess noise exposure, but family history, the aging process, or certain medications can also contribute.
In the study, “Factors Associated With Sensorineural Hearing Loss Among Survivors of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Therapy,” Dr. Fligor and his coauthors reviewed selected Boston Children’s Hospital data on both neonatal ECMO survivors (born 1986-1994) who had audiologic evaluations and a random sample of survivors who didn’t. They found, in part, that:
- Over 1 in 4 of the neonatal ECMO survivors with auditory testing had SNHL
- A majority (72%) of the above group had progressive SNHL
- Of those with progressive SNHL, 48% had delayed onset of it
- The time progression to onset of SNHL was influenced by factors such as underlying diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, ECMO therapy duration, and length of treatment with aminoglycoside antibiotics
What can be done? The study asserts the importance of “early, routine, audiologic evaluations throughout childhood for all ECMO graduates.”
It also adds that those “at even greater risk for developing SNHL because of a history of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, prolonged ECMO therapy, and/or a lengthy course of aminoglycoside antibiotic therapy should be monitored even more closely throughout childhood, depending on the child’s individual risk indicators.”
Do you or a loved one have a medical history involving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy? Have you had hearing difficulty, or has it been a while since your last hearing checkup? We recommend regular hearing evaluations and offer convenient appointments for the whole family. So don’t wait. Contact our expert team to book a visit today!