Journal Reviews
Hearing protectors and speech perception
This study tested 31 subjects using hearing protectors by maintaining a constant intensity level for the speech signal while varying background noise levels. The goal was to use this test to detect speech perceptual abilities under different hearing protectors –...
Bone anchored hearing devices in very young children
This paper presents results of BC devices in very young children and helps inform an honest discussion of risks / benefit with prospective parents. The authors of this article from Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand have a series of...
Leptin has no role in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss
This paper from Turkey claims to be the first study dealing with the relationship between leptin and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL). I remember leptin being a fashionable topic in obesity research, when leptin deficiency was thought to be...
Experience of the Sophono transcutaneous bone conduction system
This article is a frank discussion of the authors’ experience implanting these devices. The principle of the device is surgical implantation of a bilobed magnet within a bony well in the cranium (similar position to BAHA). The implant is a...
Hearing aid standards and test systems
Hearing aids are the most used management / rehabilitation option for people with hearing loss. Generally, hearing instrument manufacturers perform the hearing aid performance measurements and provide its specification in terms of functionality. However, it is also common for government...
Hearing loss in the young and self-esteem
How can those involved in the care of children with hearing loss identify those at risk of low self-esteem? This study provides some guidance. Overall differences from hearing peers in terms of communication skills, physical appearance and social maturity place...
The effect of sleep deprivation on auditory processing
This article caught my eye for personal and professional reasons. As a full time ENT trainee working 24-hour on-calls, I also have young children who have never slept through the night and don’t respect weekends or days off. My FRCS...
Review: Cochlear Implantation in SSD?
Contra lateral routing of signals (CROS) using hearing aids and bone conduction devices has been the conventionally accepted modality for the treatment of single sided hearing impairment. The CROS hearing aid has been found to improve speech understanding in noise,...
Cochlear implantation in Ménière’s disease
This was a Belgian retrospective study of seven patients with Ménière’s disease who underwent cochlear implantation. All patients had bilateral severe to profound hearing loss and all met AAO-HNS criteria for Ménière’s disease. Follow-up for patients ranged from six months...
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...
Cochlear implantation techniques
This issue concentrates on the advancement in techniques within the field of implant otology starting with cochlear implantation. Here it is sub-divided into indications, candidacy (including full pre-operative testing and investigations), surgical technique and outcomes for both adults and children....
