Journal Reviews
Where is that sound? Not every hot tub is a jacuzzi
Evidence suggests that the incidence of sound sensitivity and general noise intolerance is increasing. Studies have suggested that the incidence of hyperacusis is between 8% and 15.2% of the adult population. There is a correlation between the prevalence of hyperacusis...
Challenging steps of virtual cortical mastoidectomy
This prospective study investigated which steps of cortical mastoidectomy were challenging for 10 medical students and 10 intermediate surgeons (surgical trainees) compared to 10 experienced expert surgeons. Each participant performed cortical mastoidectomy on eight different virtual temporal bone models. The...
Does topical dual steroid therapy improve vertigo in refractory Ménière’s disease?
This prospective study investigated the role of simultaneous application of methylprednisolone and dexamethasone-soaked gelatin sponge to the endolymphatic sac surface and dexamethasone sponge to the short process of incus in 20 patients with refractory Ménière’s disease (MD) undergoing endolymphatic sac...
Bevacizumab, NF2, hearing and age
Introduction NF2-related schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN) is an autosomal dominant disorder leading to the development of schwannomas, meningiomas and spinal cord ependymomas. Younger age is a negative prognostic factor. Treatment includes observation, surgery, radiotherapy and medical therapy with bevacizumab (VEGF monoclonal antibody)....
Determinants influencing ageing within the vestibular system
The observation that ageing affects vestibular function is not new. However, using a whole population survey, the authors set out to evaluate quantitatively factors responsible for the age-related changes in vestibular function. As part of a national survey on health...
Migraine medication and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is a very common form of dizziness (lifetime prevalence 2.4%) and has been noted to have an association with migraine. The cause of otoconia displacement in BPPV is often unclear. A vascular mechanism theory has been postulated in varying...
Bell’s palsy outcomes
Bell’s palsy is a common, idiopathic, unilateral facial paresis or paralysis of sudden onset. This retrospective study reviewed the records of 193 patients diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. The patient’s clinical data, House-Brackman (h-B) grade, and data from five electrophysiological tests...
Starry eyed?
Attentive listening and active listening skills suggest that eye movement is an important factor in subject engagement. Indeed, when asked, AI suggests gaze is held for 70% of the time when listening. Although the route of this percentage is unclear,...
Cochlear implant, Ménière’s no more
Implanting Ménière’s disease (MD) patients with cochlear implant (CI) may improve their speech recognition, tinnitus and quality of life with comparable hearing benefits to those seen in controls without MD, even if labyrinthectomy has also been performed. Authors investigated the...
Paroxysmal downbeating nystagmus and proton pump inhibitors
This case report highlights the effect of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors on the vestibular system. The authors reported a case of a 70-year-old woman who was admitted with delirium, ataxia, slurred speech and slowness of thought. She had...
Vestibular implantation: are we there yet?
The objectives of this review article were to ascertain, through a systematic literature review, device design, surgical approaches, objective and subjective outcomes as well as limitations of vestibular implantation (VI). Following an extensive systematic search using PRISMA guidelines, 21 studies...
Elevated intracranial pressure versus migraines versus sinusitis?
This narrative review discusses the challenges faced by an otolaryngologist to differentiate elevated intracranial pressure (eICP), migraines and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Facial pain, pressure, aural fullness, muffled hearing and tinnitus are often common symptoms described by patients with all three...
