Journal Reviews
Cochlear implantation in asymmetric hearing loss
Criteria for cochlear implantation (CI) is a constant topic of debate. The UK traditionally had relatively restrictive guidance, although this has been greatly improved by more recent guidance released in 2019. Nevertheless, because of the lack of evidence for cost-effectiveness,...
All you need to know about childhood hearing loss - an update
This is an excellent update on childhood hearing loss. It is a comprehensive collection of five chapters, providing a summary of a broad range of practice guidelines to inform screening, diagnosis, and management of hearing loss in children. It has...
The basis of auditory processing disorder: what can we learn from corticals?
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a poorly understood, heterogenous and surprisingly common condition. It manifests as a perceptual difficulty in centrally processing auditory information. Diagnosis is usually based on a variety of behavioural tests involving verbal and non-verbal assessments. In...
Contralateral OAEs in children
Several studies indicate that small changes in the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex may possibly be associated with certain pathologies. This could be measured by using contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) and observing suppression in otoacoustic emissions (OEAs). The main aim of...
Smartphone hearing test
Our Editors’ Choice for this edition reviews an article looking at the use of a smartphone app for hearing screening. We have all had to integrate telehealth into our practice to some extent recently and this paper examines a teleaudiology...
A new tool for assessing otoscopy skills
Medical and audiology students need to be proficient in performing otoscopy in order to undertake the routine practice required of them at work upon graduation. One significant challenge in teaching otoscopy is the lack of objective and validated assessment tools...
Cochlear implant use in young children
There are clear and well-established links between those identified and fitted with amplification early and good spoken language outcomes, but how much does the time an appropriately fitted hearing instrument is used each day contribute to this? During the first...
Cochlear implants in single sided deafness
Whilst the benefit of a second cochlear implant in people with bilateral deafness is well established, the benefits of implantation for single sided deafness with normal contralateral hearing have been much more modest. The reasons for this are varied, in...
Paediatric idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss
This Turkish retrospective study looked at the radiological and clinical characteristics, prognostic factors and treatment outcomes in children diagnosed with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). Forty-eight children were included over an eight-year period. Complete recovery (CR) was achieved in...
Genetic testing in congenital hearing loss
Advances in genetic testing over the last decade have reduced the cost and time such testing required and increased understanding of the genes involved in conditions like congenital hearing loss. This study from Atlanta looks at genetic testing from a...
Electrodes and the stapedial reflex
This study had two main objectives: testing the efficiency of the sequential stimulation of four different electrodes versus a single electrode on the threshold of the stapedial reflex; and correlating the values with the minimum comfort level (MCL). The study...
Cochlear implantation in children with congenital long QT syndrome
Jervell and Lange-Neilsen syndrome is a condition where sensorineural deafness coincides with inherited abnormalities of the heart, resulting in prolonged ventricular repolarisation, frequently shown on an ECG with a prolonged QT interval. These children can present at implant centres for...
