Ultrastructural changes in the spiral organ of cochlea at various intervals after exposure to impulse noise were investigated. Guinea pigs were exposed to 10 impulses noise of 166 dB SPL peak level which had duration of 0.1 ms. Thirteen of the exposed animals were used to systematically measure threshold shift at regular intervals from 30 min to 30d post-exposure. The other fourteen animals who had been exposed to the same impulse noise were killed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination at the same intervals, respectively. The recovery pattern of threshold shift showed a nonmonotonic type. There was a progressive deterioration of changes in the hair cells between 30 min and 8h after exposure. Intracellular degeneration reached a peak at 8h and marked edema and swelling leading to deformation of the outer hair cells (OHCs), fused stereocilia, large vesicles in cytoplasm and swollen submembraneous cisterns were found. After that time the extent of degeneration in the hair cells reduced. The time sequence of changes in the spiral organ of cochlea in the present study was associated with the recovery pattern of threshold shift.

Humans ; Occupational Health ; Occupational Health Services ; standards ; Population Surveillance ; Program Evaluation