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...

Inter-aural hearing preservation in cochlear implantation

Hearing preservation during cochlear implantation is becoming increasingly important, although results can be unpredictable. NICE are in the process of updating their guidance in the UK and it is possible that those with better hearing than the current candidates will...

Virtual human speaker

The aim of the discussed study was to develop and evaluate a 3D virtual speaker that could use pre-recorded audio-material and possibly be used for audio-visual speech testing in the future. The authors developed the terminal-analogue method that allows to...

Aural fullness in Ménière’s disease

This survey of the Finnish Ménière’s Association aimed to examine the severity and consequences of aural fullness, the least reported cardinal symptom of Ménière’s disease. An initial pilot survey informed a second, restructured survey, giving a total of 726 respondents...

Clinical evaluation of an image-guided cochlear implant programming strategy

This study ingeniously combines two current areas of active research in cochlear implantation (CI), the first is the use of imaging to assess intra-cochlear electrode position. The second, is the optimisation of a programming strategy to prevent current spread between...

Frequency Compression – is there a benefit?

The goal of this study was to investigate whether frequency compression (FC) hearing aids provide more benefit than conventional hearing aids. Twelve experienced hearing aid users 65-84 years of age with moderate to severe high frequency hearing loss wore the...

Promotion of trust with adult hearing impairment in hearing healthcare

The goal of this study was to assess how trust is promoted among adult hearing impaired patients seeking hearing healthcare. Previous interview transcript data collected from 29 adults across hearing health care centres in four countries was re-analysed thematically in...

Earplugs fit for purpose

The aim of occupational audiology is to prevent hearing loss caused by occupational sound exposure which can exacerbate the long-term effects of central presbyacusis as employees age. To provide the best noise protection over time, research suggests that best practice...