Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)

The Audiology Department at Mercy St. Charles Hospital performs Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE). A DPOAE is a response produced by the ear that is used to monitor hearing in patients who are prescribed ototoxic medication. OAEs are used for screening infants hearing and monitoring the hearing of people who work with noise, as well.

This procedure can usually be completed in 5 minutes. IT is obtained by placing a probe in the patient's ear. This probe has 2 parts; one emits a sound and the other records the OAE produced by the ear.