Keywords: deafness, ear

Abstract: A general overview of a recently descovered class of cochlear response, the Otoacoustic Emissions, is given with emphasis on its classification and clinical uses. The instruments used to study this class of cochlear response are presented briefly. The objective of this review is to introduce physicians to an important new branch of research in hearing pathotologies which, in the future, can be used in the clinical evaluation of hearing impairment related to damage of the outer hair cells.