Journal Reviews
ADHEAR in the paediatric population
ADHEAR is a non-surgical bone conduction device (BCD) available from Med-El from 2017. It uses an adhesive adapter consisting of a soft rubber pad with a centre rigid plate that has a snap coupling for attachment of a sound processor....
Telehealth for cochlear implant follow-up care
For individuals with moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, cochlear implants are a highly effective form of hearing rehabilitation. Despite their effectiveness, utilisation is low, with approximately only 12.7% of suitable adult candidates receiving implants. Barriers to access include the geographic distribution...
Role of high-resolution CT scans in the management of cholesteatoma
This review article has looked at 15 publications, comparing features noted in high-resolution CT (HRCT) scans of patients having cholesteatoma with actual intraoperative findings. This comparison was used to assess sensitivity and specificity of various abnormalities picked up by HRCT...
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...
Why are we struggling to manage ear pain?
Ear pain can be consumptive. It gnaws like toothache, splits like a headache and can throw off one’s equilibrium. Despite this, we often treat the cause without treating the symptoms. Stoliar and colleagues compared how physicians assess and treat pain...
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...
Are you a man or a mouse?
Ok so the phrase is about bravery – however, this paper considers the differences in auditory cortex connectivity, cognition and emotion between humans and mice. The study began with 21 mice, but usable data were obtained from only 16. Notably,...
Can laryngopharyngeal reflux initiate middle ear dysfunction?
The prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux disorder (LPRD) varies widely and can affect a third of the population, especially in middle ages and, more commonly, females are involved. There is not much in the literature about the association of this condition...
The hidden enemy of microtia reconstruction: cholesteatoma
Although ear reconstruction for concha-type microtia is generally successful, its frequent association with congenital aural stenosis introduces a hidden risk of cholesteatoma due to disruption of epithelial migration. This negatively affects hearing and reconstructive outcomes. This single-centre retrospective case series...
Conductive hearing loss – when and why to scan
Ossicular fixation or discontinuity can occur at any point along the ossicular chain and is estimated to cause conductive hearing loss (CHL) in approximately 55% of patients. Computed tomography (CT) imaging of the temporal bone identifies bony pathologies that contribute...
Improving music perception in cochlear implant users
Can you imagine a world without music? In the words of Hans Christian Anderson, a prolific 19th-century Danish author, “Where words fail, music speaks.” This quote highlights music’s importance as a language of emotions that transcends linguistic barriers. This case...
