Test result Refer/No Clear Response
If the result is a
Refer/No Clear Response
, the detailed results are shown imme-
diately below the graph.
•
A
Refer/No Clear Response
may indicate a significant hearing loss.
•
A
Refer/No Clear Response
may also be the result when too much electrical
noise drowns out the response.
If the infant moves or is sucking or crying during the test, this may result in too much electrical noise. Other electrical
appliances and fluorescent lighting in the vicinity can also cause electrical interference.
A good indication of this is if the ABR bar on the display is close to the
Pass/Clear Response
criterion but does not result
in a
Pass/Clear Response
. If this is the case, try to improve test conditions and repeat the test.
Consequently, before you refer the patient for further follow-up, it is recommended that you improve test conditions and
repeat the test:
•
Does the probe fit well in the ear canal?
•
Are the electrodes placed correctly and fit properly? Even if the device accepts the impedance values, it is often
worth while to attempt to reduce impedance values and particularly the impedance differences. The noise in the elec-
trode cable depends strongly on the impedance values.
•
Is the patient well at rest and is there no muscle tension? Note that electric muscle artifacts may arise from non-mov-
ing but tensed muscles (isometric contraction). Please check especially the nape of the neck for this condition.
•
Are there any sources of electric noise in the environment? Especially motor-driven devices such as pumps can cause
high noise which is sometimes accepted by the device but can be too high, if for instance the response has a low amp-
litude. It may be worth while to relocate to another room for testing.
•
Is there much acoustic noise in the environment? A high level of noise might mask the stimulus.
Incomplete test
If the test was stopped, an error message is shown.
54
Otometrics - MADSEN AccuScreen
5 Testing with AccuScreen
