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Piezoelectric saw reducing sensory disturbance in mandibular osteotomies

This paper from Seattle in the United States looked at 20 patients with a mean age of 19.9 +/- 3.2 years with a fairly standard surgical movement. They found that functional sensory recovery of the inferior alveolar nerve resulted in...

Inner ear immunity

There is much speculation regarding the ear’s immune response. The environment in which we live and breathe is getting ever more complex; aspects such as the percentage of the population with autoimmune conditions are on the rise and, therefore, it...

Small but significant

These authors try to circumnavigate the conundrum of what is influenced by what. For something so small, the impact of the Stria Vascularis cannot be understated. The difficulty in reviewing the influence of loop diuretics or aminoglycosides on the Stria...

What is in the Fountain of Youth?

Does the auditory system have to age? Can we become more like turtles or jellyfish and keep our internals running without degradation? This essay considers the theoretical underpinnings of biological processes in the cochlear, in particular the role of the...

Higher risk and a tailored need

Historically, in audiology there is almost an unspoken understanding that when presented with a musician, a nuanced approach is likely to be required. Previous research has already shown there is a higher risk of noise exposure and accompanying signal distortion...

What type of sensitivity?

It is true that the different types of decreased sound tolerance conditions are, in general, poorly defined and the lines between them blurry. Hyperacusis? Loudness recruitment? Misophonia? Phonophobia? Sensory overload in noise? This paper aims to provide reference data for...

Where is it?

Humans’ ability to process sound is a multi-faceted phenomenon. It is a marvel which likely changes through our ageing process and is influenced by a myriad of factors. This paper examines the particulars of the dimensions of sound processing –...

COVID-19 and oral cancer

This is a Canadian retrospective paper covering the period of March 2018 to March 2022. It identified 190 patients; 91 pre-pandemic and 99 from the pandemic. From this, they found there was no increase in patient delay, professional delay or...

Are they just ignoring you?

The clarity of hearing in background noise, which is influenced by the signal-to-noise ratio, has been a much-debated topic over many years from various angles. This study looks at anaesthetised cats and, as cats are not commonly known for their...

Tonsillectomy and the environment

The authors compared the carbon footprint of various techniques used for subtotal tonsillectomy. The techniques included radiofrequency ablation, coblation and cold steel with bipolar diathermy. All medical equipment was reported and their carbon emissions in eCO₂ calculated. Cold steel with...

Back to the Future

Normally my objective for this column is to highlight an innovation that is already fully realised and on the market. Sometimes it can be fun instead to look forward to what innovations are coming down the pipeline. With that in...