Search

Current practice in cochlear implantation

From candidacy to surgery and rehabilitation, cochlear implant practice is evolving, with new technologies shaping outcomes for patients worldwide. Image courtesy of MED-EL. Cochlear implants restore a sense of hearing in the profoundly deaf, representing the most successful neuroprostheses available,...

A surgeon’s perspective on the challenges facing cochlear implantation in children

Cochlear implantation in children offers a different set of challenges and goals to adult practice. In this article, Iain Bruce, Professor of Paediatric Otolaryngology in Manchester, UK, explains some of the current clinical and research challenges in paediatric cochlear implantation,...

Military otolaryngology and its impact on civilian trauma care

Over the centuries, military conflicts and wars have caused both death and injuries and led to improvements in the care of the combat wounded. Military otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons have been at the forefront of these developments and advances. War...

The Brain’s Connectome – a symphony inside our brains and how hearing loss disturbs the music

Understand us; where do we begin? In this article the authors’ introduce a project that may uncover that our personalities and traits are a product of the interconnected wiring within our brain. The team discusses the Human Connectome Project and...

Cognitive spare capacity: what is it and why does it matter?

Cognition refers to thinking and memory. So why would cognition be a useful concept for ENTs and audiologists? Audition provides our main channel of communication and when we speak to each other, we want to exchange thoughts and remember what...

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for OSA: current experience with unilateral versus bilateral systems

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has emerged as an established treatment option for selected patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) who are intolerant to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Over the past decade, technological developments have expanded the field from unilateral...

Questionnaires to measure tinnitus severity

The handicap associated with tinnitus can arise from any combination of stress, anxiety, depression, emotional distress, insomnia, difficulties concentrating, or impairments in quality of life or everyday functioning. Measuring such handicap and determining clinical need is therefore far from trivial....

Mindfulness based approaches to tinnitus management: meditations on a new approach

Psychological approaches to tinnitus There is now widespread agreement that an individual’s interpretation of tinnitus can determine how distressing they find it. If tinnitus is regarded as non-threatening then habituation normally follows. If, however, tinnitus is interpreted as threatening, habituation...

Lyric 24/7 hearing: could it help those with tinnitus?

About Lyric Hearing Since its launch in 2008, Lyric represents the first and only device of its kind establishing a new category of hearing solution: 24/7 extended wear. Lyric is placed several millimetres within the ear canal, near the tympanic...

Utilisation of cortical auditory evoked potentials in the paediatric population

Introduction Early identification of hearing loss in infants followed by prompt intervention is well established as the key to maximising the development of speech, language and psychosocial skills. Many countries have already adopted early hearing detection and intervention (EDHI) programs,...

The role of significant others in hearing aid adoption

Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults and its prevalence is found to increase with age. Over the years, amplification technology has advanced significantly from analogue to digital signal processing. Despite this,...

Voice analysis

Traditionally voice analysis has been done by ear at a subjective auditory-perceptual level. The three main characteristics of voice are: pitch – normal for age and gender, too high or too low; loudness – normal, too high or too low;...