Perioperative hearing loss after nonotological surgeries – What is the role of anesthesia?

Abstract

Transient, low-frequency hearing loss after anesthesia, especially due to neuraxial block, usually goes unnoticed by patients, and thus they do not report to a physician. However, the chances of anesthesia-induced perioperative hearing loss (POHL) to occur are generally underestimated. The true incidence of POHL regardless of anesthetic technique is unknown due to lack of reporting and subclinical presentation, which often goes unnoticed unless pure-tone audiometry is performed. However, the anesthesiologist should be aware of hearing loss as a potential perioperative complication and should be discussed with the patients in the perioperative period and should preferably be included in the informed consent for medicolegal and ethical reasons. The cognizance of POHL should be disseminated to the treating team by educating anesthesiologists, surgeons, and healthcare personnel about its possible occurrence. A better understanding of the incidence, etiology, prognosis, and management for POHL is essential for the anesthesiologist to prevent or to minimize the risk of hearing loss. In this review article, we emphasize the abovementioned aspects. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Patient care and procedural skills, Medical knowledge.