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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Presenter Information:
Presenter 1: Name: Yuri Sokolov

Affiliation: Vivosonic Inc.

Yuri Sokolov, PhD, MBA is a researcher, educator, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in various sectors of the hearing health care industry. He conducted research in auditory physiology and audiology, authored and co-authored over 150 publications and 11 patents. Dr. Sokolov established an advanced audiology clinic in Kyiv, Ukraine, and founded Vivosonic Inc. in Toronto, Canada, based on prior research at the University of Toronto. He is now President, CEO, and a Director of Vivosonic, the maker of the world’s first wireless system for auditory electrophysiology, Integrity™, enabling non-sedated ABR, non-invasive clear ECochG, combined with OAEs. Dr. Sokolov holds a Master of Science degree with Honors from the National Technical University of Ukraine (1977)), PhD in Physiology from the Institute of Physiology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1986), and Master of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto (2002).
Author Information:
Author 1: Name: Yuri Sokolov
Affiliation: Vivosonic Inc.
Author 2: Name: Isaac Kurtz
Affiliation: Vivosonic Inc.
Author 3: Name: Aaron Steinman
Affiliation: Vivosonic Inc.
Author 4: Name: Olena Sokolova
Affiliation: Vivosonic Inc.
Abstract Information:
Title: Non-sedated ABR techniques
Primary Track: 2-Audiological Assessment and Intervention
Keyword(s): ABR, evaluation, non-sedated

Abstract:

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test is the most widely clinically used Auditory Evoked Potential (AEP). ABR tests are essential for post-screening evaluation and frequency-specific threshold determination, but are significantly affected by EMG which requires sedation or anesthesia in most children (Hall, 2007). However, ABR testing is often challenging and requires multiple re-tests due to noise, foremost muscle artifacts (EMG), affect the ABR recording and make results unreliable, which is why sedation was required in most pediatric ABR tests (Hall, 2007). In 2006, American Academy of Pediatrics identified that sedation imposes serious risks for pediatric patients , and was mostly replaced by general anesthesia for ABR across the US over 2007. Yet, anesthesia is very costly, in some cases cannot be administered or is unavailable, thus delaying audiological evaluation and intervention in pediatric population. EMG artifacts also prevent differential diagnostics in many difficult-to-test children and adults, e.g. with sleep apnea, cerebral palsy, Autism, pacemakers, and other conditions. The presentation will describe novel techniques that enable clear ABR responses in the presence of EMG artifacts and strong electro-magnetic interferences (EMI). These techniques include in-situ ABR amplification, digital signal processing, statistical techniques, and practical approaches to testing of patients of different ages, from infants and young children thorough seniors, and in various clinical settings, from the NICU and hospitals to private clinics. How these techniques allow high-definition diagnostic click-evoked ABR, frequency-specific tone-burst-evoked ABR for threshold estimation, air-conducted and bone-conducted ABR, automated Cochlear Microphonic recording with simultaneous condensation and rarefaction clicks, will be discussed. Sedation-free ABR testing with new techniques enhances clinical efficiency in pediatric evaluation and differential diagnostics in difficult-to-test adults, and enhances hearing health care in hospitals and private settings, as well as opens new research opportunities.
Presentation(s): Not Available
Handouts: Not Available