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How sight shapes sound: cross-modal plasticity and cochlear implantation

Visual cues support auditory recovery after cochlear implantation, with evidence showing cross-modal plasticity enhances speech perception and rehabilitation outcomes. Traditionally, clinical guidance around cochlear implantation has been shaped by a key concern: that reliance on visual communication, particularly speechreading, might...

Mindfulness and tinnitus: a path to peace in the present

How does training the mind to be present in the here and now help patients with troublesome tinnitus? James Jackson discusses mindfulness and its place in tinnitus management. Although definitions can be more complex, tinnitus is the perception of sound...

Wideband tympanometry: translating complexity into clinical clarity

Clinicians often encounter patients with a Type A tympanogram who still present with conductive hearing loss. Traditional 226 Hz tympanometry has served as a reliable tool in audiology and otolaryngology practices since the 1970s, yet it often misses subtle variations...

Pioneering in simulation surgery

Plastic temporal bones transformed ear surgery training, letting trainees practise complex procedures safely before operating on patients. I attended the Stell and Maran’s surgical course in the early 70s. It was superb but, with the confidence of naivety, I thought...

ENT in the Balkans

Shining a light on ENT in the Balkans, Metin Önerci explains the population and challenges in this part of the world. There is no universal agreement on what constitutes the Balkans. However, the following countries are usually included: Albania, Bosnia...

Pre-hospital care

For those of us that work within the acute hospital system, the sound of the trauma pager going off warning of an incoming casualty with as yet unknown injuries is often the sound of uncertainty and anxiety. When it becomes...

Cochlear implants: recipient stories

The most powerful evidence for the remarkable achievements made with cochlear implants over 40 years comes from the life-changing, personal stories of those who have benefited from the technology. James Rylance I first noticed a problem with hearing when I...

ENT and evidence-based medicine: How do they benefit each other?

How do we assess evidence, and how should ENT surgeons use EBM? Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the practice of medicine based upon high quality scientific research. There are several formal definitions of EBM, the most widely quoted being that of...

Clinical strategies for improving music listening

For audiologists and patients alike, the technical challenges of fitting hearing aids for music are well known. Drs Greasley and Crook introduce their research and top tips for improving satisfaction in this important topic. Hearing aids are often problematic for...