Wstęp do elektrofizjologii klinicznej obwodowej części narzÄ du słuchu

Peripheral part of the hearing pathway and the cochlea are considered to be affected more often than the others. Noise exposure, ototoxical drugs, temporal bone trauma or cerebello-pontine angle tumor are examples of factors or pathologies responsible for perceptive cochlear or retrocochlear hearing loss. Knowledge about audiological tests reflecting activity of the cochlea and the acoustic nerve are of the special importance regarding precise, specific and rapid diagnostics of the peripheral part of hearing organ. The authors focused on electrophysiological tests measured in near-field option. Details of electrocochleography were discussed. Compound action potential, cochlear microphonics and summation potential were described with a special emphasize on t heir generation sources. Anatomy, physiology and some aspects of electrophysiological measurements were presented and discussed. This paper should be a guide for beginning otolaryngologists making easier good understanding of both hearing processes and hearing measurements.