Journal Reviews
Revision stapedectomy with bone cement works well!
Revision stapes surgery is notoriously difficult and results are worse than in primary surgery. This group in Utah have described the use of hydroxyapatite bone cement to stabilise the nitinol prosthesis they use in revision surgery due to incus necrosis...
Nasal decongestants don’t improve Eustachian tube function
Prescribing nasal steroids and decongestants. It’s something most of us do routinely, in an effort to reduce chronic middle ear effusion in an adult by trying to improve eustachian tube (ET) patency. This study used clever devices (tube manometry and...
Vascular loops found on MRI IAM for tinnitus
This group from the Netherlands looks at the finding of vascular loops found on MRI IAMs requested for tinnitus. It is a common finding for all who request such imaging. This work adds to the body of evidence that such...
BAHA loading two weeks after implant insertion
The time thought necessary for sufficient osseointegration to occur to enable use of a BAHA has reduced from months to a few weeks. This paper further reduces this timescale to two weeks in patients with healthy bone and soft tissue...
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...
Endolymphatic sac surgery for Ménière’s disease
This is a very useful meta-analysis for those that perform surgery for Ménière’s disease. It specifically looked at differences in various forms of endolymphatic sac surgery (ESS). A total of 36 papers were included. The results: ESS controls vertigo in...
Cochlear implants in Ménière’s disease
This retrospective review firstly reminds us that a cochlear implant (CI) is possible with Ménière’s disease (MD) and provides a good account of what can be expected with a CI in patients with MD. Twenty MD patients who underwent cochlear...
Mastoid obliteration for canal wall down surgery
Surgery for acquired cholesteatoma is varied amongst surgeons with some only performing combined approach tympanoplasty. The change in lifestyle for patients with canal wall down surgery is significant and hence this group in Japan looked at 118 adult patients with...
