Covid-19 infection in pregnant women: Auditory evaluation in infants.

 Recent studies showed that COVID-19 infection can affect cochleo-vestibular system. The possibility of a vertical transmission is controversial. Some studies suggested that it is possible but unlikely, others find no evidence of vertical transmission.

Italian Fast Speech Reception Threshold Test: A New Method to Investigate Adult Auditory Impairment in Noise.

Introduction: Purpose of our study was to compare two competing methods of performing bisyllabic word speech audiometry for the detection of the 50% speech reception threshold in noise (SRT50).

Methods: Classic method is performed submitting multiple word lists at a fixed signal-to-noise ratio. A newer Fast method - Italian Fast Speech Reception Threshold 50 (IFastSRT50) - is performed by means of program software with a single list of bisyllabic words and noise intensity shifting.

Bone-Anchored Hearing Devices for Single-Sided Deafness: A New Preoperative Evaluation Protocol and Widening of Indications Proposal.

Introduction: Bone-anchored hearing devices (BAHD) are well-known good solution for single-sided deafness (SSD). Despite power extension of recently introduced BAHD with implanted active transducer, with indications up to 65 dB Hl of bone conduction (BC) threshold on the implanted side, their indications for SSD still remain better than 25 dB on the good ear, with regards to bone conduction thresholds. The aim of this study was to assess the possibility to enlarge BAHD indications for SSD by means of a newly proposed candidacy evaluation protocol, which includes a new software-aided method.

Preoperative vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs), caloric test, and pure tone audiometry to identify the vestibular nerve branch of schwannoma origin: preliminary results in a series of 26 cases.

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a benign tumor which develops in the internal auditory canal and the cerebellopontine angle, potentially diminishing hearing or balance. Most VS tumors arise from one of two vestibular branches: the superior or inferior vestibular nerve. Determining the specific nerve of origin could improve patient management in terms of preoperative counseling, treatment selection, and surgical decision-making and planning.

Combined Endoscopic/Microscopic Cochlear Implantation Through the Oval Window.

Standard round window (RW) cochlear implantation is a well-described technique. Implantation might be difficult in patients with inner and middle ear anomalies, in some cases because of not achieving adequate exposure to the RW, with a related higher risk of complications such as facial nerve injury. It is proposed a combined microscopic/endoscopic oval window approach in a 63 year old man affected by bilateral Menière disease, with bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss, speech discrimination score for bysillabic words under 40% and a hidden RW by anomalous facial nerve course.

A Multicenter Clinical Evaluation of Data Logging in Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Automated Scene Classification Technologies.

Currently, there are no studies assessing everyday use of cochlear implant (CI) processors by recipients by means of objective tools. The Nucleus 6 sound processor features a data logging system capable of real-time recording of CI use in different acoustic environments and under various categories of loudness levels. In this study, we report data logged for the different scenes and different loudness levels of 1,366 CI patients, as recorded by SCAN.

Maps created using a new objective procedure (C-NRT) correlate with behavioral, loudness-balanced maps: a study in adult cochlear implant users.

In uncooperative patients, electrical compound action potential (ECAP) thresholds are reliable in predicting T-levels, but are not in determining the C-level profile. The present study aims to assess if the C-level profile can be predicted by a new objective procedure (C-NRT) which uses the amplitude growth function (AGF) and is based on the assumption that equal ECAP amplitudes elicit equal loudness percepts. This is a correlational study conducted in five tertiary care referral hospitals with 21 post-lingually deaf adult cochlear implant users.

Combined posterior tympanotomy/endomeatal access in cochlear implantation.

Alternative techniques for cochlear implant surgery have been described, such as endomeatal- and suprameatal-alone approaches, without traditional posterior tympanotomy. A combined posterior tympanotomy/endomeatal approach is proposed as a way to enhance surgical safety and effectiveness. 64 patients, 34 men and 30 women, mean age 28 (range 1-81 years), 26 pre-verbal and 38 post-verbal, were submitted to cochlear implantation, 32 by means of the described combined posterior tympanotomy/endomeatal approach and 32 with traditional posterior tympanotomy-alone approach.

Transtympanic electrical stimulation for immediate and long-term tinnitus suppression.

Tinnitus is a common symptom which often becomes disabling, affecting the emotional and psychosocial dimensions of life. There are many reports describing tinnitus suppression or attenuation through electrical stimulation of the ear, provided either by cochlear implants or by transtympanic stimulation. Our study project aims to assess the effects of electrical promontory stimulation (EPS) on persistent disabling tinnitus.

Multiple viral genome search in endolabyrinthic fluids of profoundly deaf patients: possible cytomegalovirus intracochlear reactivation.

Background: The cause of about 30% of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is still unknown. A viral etiology is among the most frequently proposed ones and the supposed diagnosis is only based upon few clinical and laboratory data. The detection of viral presence within a damaged compartment may represent a way to supply interesting data for confirmation of viral etiology and to explain pathogenic mechanisms.

Electric to acoustic pitch matching: a possible way to improve individual cochlear implant fitting.

Poor pitch resolution has been shown to have negative implications for speech and music perception in implanted patients. Surprisingly, works on the subject have not focused much on the impact that the non-correspondence between frequencies allocated to electrodes and perceived frequencies could have on speech and music perception. The aim of the present study is to investigate the correlation between pitch mismatch and speech performance with the implant, and to ascertain the effects of mismatch correction through a mapping function making a personalized frequency reallocation possible.

Tinnitus modifications after cochlear implantation.

Tinnitus can be defined as a phantom sensation in the absence of an external sound. In our study, we evaluated the effect of cochlear implant on tinnitus evolution. Among adult, postlingually deaf patients who underwent cochlear implantation at our clinic, we selected 20 subjects with pre-implantation tinnitus (group A) and 10 subjects without pre-implantation tinnitus (group B).

Differences between electrode-assigned frequencies and cochlear implant recipient pitch perception.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated an evident mismatch between frequencies assigned to electrodes and frequencies evoked by stimulation of those same electrodes in implanted patients. We propose that the mapping procedures should include, whenever possible, a comparison with homolateral residual hearing in order to obtain an appropriate frequency range assignation for each electrode.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the correspondence between the frequencies assigned to each electrode and those actually perceived by the cochlear implant patient.

Residual hearing in cochlear implant patients.

Preservation of residual hearing should be a desirable outcome of implant surgery. Prevention of neural degeneration due to loss of residual hair cells, together with the continuous progress in cochlear implant technology should be able to preserve cochlear integrity as well as possible. The degree of hearing preservation may vary depending on surgical approach, maximum insertion depth and other factors not uniformly considered to date.

Residual hearing thresholds in cochlear implantation and reimplantation.

Implant and reimplantation surgery should be carried out with preservation of residual hearing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of such a surgery on hearing threshold. We report the results on 40 patients, 20 males and 20 females, aged between 5 and 70 (mean 29) years, 16 pre-verbal and 24 post-verbal, with measurable pre-operative auditory thresholds.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors in the cochlea of various experimental animals.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may be an important regulator of the vascular network of the inner ear and suggest that the VEGF signalling pathway may play a role in pathophysiologic conditions.

Objective: In order to clarify the role of vascular growth factor in the modulation of the vascular network of the cochlea, we studied the expression of VEGF and its receptors-fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1) and foetal liver kinase (Flk-1)-in the inner ear of 3-month-old rodents of different species: C57BL/6J mice, Wistar albino rats and Hartley albino guinea pigs.

Material And Methods: Qualitative immunohistochemical studies were performed by using specific antibodies to VEGF and its receptors on paraffin sections of the cochlea.