Is there any way to do a BAER test before surgery?

[Bomberman]

People say that a BAER test is a predictor in saving hearing loss. I want to know my odds before deciding to do surgery. Is this test easily done outside or surgery or does it have to be done during surgery?

Thank you.

[ANGuy]

Could you mean ABR test?  If so, it is a fairly simple process.  I forget exactly how they did mine, but it was just an add-on to the standard hearing tests.  It was not a surgical process, it was a process of hooking up electrical leads in a few places and then sending s series of tones through your occipital bone.  Maybe it took 15 minutes, or maybe it was 5, and it didn't hurt or anything.

Mine came back "bad" despite the fact that my current hearing is actually not too bad.  I am WW and they did mine for the same reason you want one.   Based on my ABR, I will probably go translab if I get treatment since surgery is nearly guaranteed to kill my hearing anyway.

[Bomberman]

Ah yes, they are both the same thing. So if I go to my audiologist he can easily give me a ABR test so I can find out my odds? Thanks.

[ANGuy]

I don't know if just any audiologist can do it.  Mine was done at Duke Univ where my neurotologist works out of.  Duke certainly has the equipment, I don't know if an ordinary ENT office has it or not.  Also, I would think it should all be coordinated through whoever is the honcho of your AN treatment.  Somebody has to interpret your scores and give you some kind of professional opinion on the test results.

[Bomberman]

I got one scheduled at Hackensack University Medical Center. Any hospital should have the equipment to do it.

[ANGuy]

I got one scheduled at Hackensack University Medical Center. Any hospital should have the equipment to do it.

Good deal.  You are in a good area of the country for medical care options being so close to NYC. 

[Bomberman]

1 Bad and 2 good news.

Bad: I found out that my insurance doesn't cover hearing test and ABR test.
Good: Good news is that neurosurgeons say that the hearing test is good enough to help you decide how you should approach treatment. ABR is not necessary for that purpose.
Good: Costco and other hearing aid centers give free hearing tests.

[Citiview]

Bomberman
I have found that some doctors think that the ABR is a good predictor of hearing preservation and another doctor said no ABR but would rather have a VNG test to predict hearing preservation. So there are varying opinions about the ABR test.
Good luck on your research.

[ANGuy]

1 Bad and 2 good news.

Bad: I found out that my insurance doesn't cover hearing test and ABR test.
Good: Good news is that neurosurgeons say that the hearing test is good enough to help you decide how you should approach treatment. ABR is not necessary for that purpose.
Good: Costco and other hearing aid centers give free hearing tests.

If your insurance doesn't cover hearing tests, how did you get diagnosed with an AN

[Bomberman]

I got diagnosed because I saw a neurologist regarding tingling in my lip and in my tongue. She then directed me to get an MRI which was then pretty clear. 2.9 x 2.7 x 2.3.