You searched for "otology"

1069 results found

Adjuvant intratympanic steroid therapy in sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) means abrupt hearing loss by 30dB affecting three consecutive frequencies within 72 hours. This is treated by high tapering doses of systemic steroids, the role of which is controversial and fraught with possible complications in...

Peritonsillar abscess - an indication for tonsillectomy?

Extension of infection beyond the tonsil results in a peritonsillar abscess and is a frequent emergency presentation in otolaryngology. In many places one episode of peritonsillar abscess is not considered an indication for emergency or interval tonsillectomy and future episodes...

Endoscopic findings and prediction of outcome in unilateral vocal cord paralysis

Unilateral vocal cord paralysis which is not due to irreversible causes such as malignancy, systemic disease or trauma varies considerably in terms of full recovery and restoration of voice. Usually electromyography is used to make possible predictions, but this facility...

Hearing aids or grommets for children with OME?

Otitis media with effusion is a highly prevalent condition in children and recurrence often occurs after surgical treatment with grommets. Repeated grommet insertion has its own problems of infection, perforation and scarring of the tympanic membranes, and continuity of providing...

For how long is post-pinnaplasty head bandage really necessary?

It is customary to put on a head bandage after pinnaplasty and the general consensus is that it should remain on for about a week to prevent haematoma and splint the reshaped pinna in place. In this review article, the...

Damage to the cochlear nucleus with electrocautery to the cochlear nerve

This study is of importance to neurotologists and neurosurgeons. It is unclear why patients with NF2 have poorer outcomes with an auditory brainstem implant compared to non-tumour patients. This effect is postulated to be due to damage to certain cells...

How can we treat a patient with aural fullness?

Aural fullness is a common complaint that we often come across in many of our otology patients. Management of this condition can be quite challenging. Common differentials include eustachian tube dysfunction, patulous eustachian tube dysfunction, otitic barotrauma, superior canal dehiscence...

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...

The effect on taste buds due to severing of the chorda tympani nerve

The long-term histological effect on taste buds following cutting of the chorda tympani in humans is not clear. Confocal laser scanning allows in-vivo examination of the same group of taste buds and is aiding our understanding of why patients recover...

Association of sinonasal symptoms with ear disease

The study explores the possible association of sinonasal symptoms with ear disease. The subjects were patients with ear problems which were categorised as group A – patients with external ear problems (15%), group B1 – patients with middle ear mucosal...

Revision stapedectomy with bone cement works well!

Revision stapes surgery is notoriously difficult and results are worse than in primary surgery. This group in Utah have described the use of hydroxyapatite bone cement to stabilise the nitinol prosthesis they use in revision surgery due to incus necrosis...

Nasal decongestants don’t improve Eustachian tube function

Prescribing nasal steroids and decongestants. It’s something most of us do routinely, in an effort to reduce chronic middle ear effusion in an adult by trying to improve eustachian tube (ET) patency. This study used clever devices (tube manometry and...