Many treatment strategies for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) have been discussed, but the high spontaneous recovery rate (32-65%) of idiopathic SSNHL and differing treatment guidelines make comparing outcomes difficult. Systemic steroids are the most common first-line therapy with significant...
The first day of June is the meteorological start of summer. As a moderately wet spring slowly blurs to (a damp UK) summer, we can look forward to holidays in the countryside, enjoying the changing pollen seasons from tree to...
There is growing awareness that hearing loss is linked to dementia [1]. The average first-time hearing aid user is about 70 years old. By this age, approximately 1 in 2 people have hearing loss and 1 in 7 have cognitive...
The management of patients with cleft lip and palate includes a focus on effective speech and language function. Poor eustachian tube function and middle ear dysfunction mean over 90% of children suffer from otitis media with effusion. This article provides...
Comparing studies requires common approaches. Ali Faramarzi takes a moment to consider how to tackle the presentation of audiometric data in publications. Uniformity in reporting hearing outcomes is paramount for accurate evaluation and comparison of hearing-related research. Standardised guidelines are...
Congratulations to Gareth Smith, Audiology Editor on ENT & Audiology News, who has won the Leadership prize in the Shine Awards, which recognise the work of staff at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in the UK.
Chronic eustachian tube dysfunction prevails in 1% of the adult population and can predispose to middle ear disease. There are subjective and objective features of this condition that can affect quality of life. The common methods to treat eustachian tube...
A common belief amongst pituitary surgeons is that lateralising the middle turbinate to access the sphenoid can result in an iatrogenic sinusitis. This paper attempts to find out whether this is in fact true. Thirty-eight patients fitted the inclusion criteria...
Patient selection is important for any successful surgical procedure. Adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea secondary to adenotonsillar hypertrophy is no exception. This retrospective Taiwanese study attempts to find preoperative factors that have a positive influence for this commonly performed operation....
Quality of life improvement is one of the main goals of cochlear implantation. Mobile phones are now a standard daily tool. For many implanted patients, a mobile phone is used for sending short messages rather than for voice calls. This...
This paper from Australia gives an insightful perspective on the impact of facial paralysis on patients, and may explain the well-documented poor quality of life scores in this patient group, particularly those ‘successfully reconstructed’ with surgery. It explores how the...