Does ear endoscopy provide advantages in the outpatient management of open mastoidectomy cavities?

Objective: To evaluate the use of ear endoscopy in the postoperative management of open mastoidectomy cavities, and to test whether ear endoscopy improves inspection and cleaning compared with ear microscopy.

Methods: Prospective study. Thirty-two ears were divided into two groups: group 1, examination and cleaning of mastoid cavities under endoscopic visualization after microscopic standard ear cleaning; group 2, examination and cleaning of mastoid cavities under microscopic visualization after endoscope-assisted ear cleaning.

Facial thread lifting with suture suspension.

Introduction: The increased interest in minimally-invasive treatments, such as the thread lifting, with lower risk of complications, minimum length of time away from work and effectiveness in correcting ptosis and aging characteristics has led many specialists to adopt this technique, but many doubts about its safety and effectiveness still limit its overall use.

Objective: To analyze data published in the literature on the durability of results, their effectiveness, safety, and risk of serious adverse events associated with procedures using several types of threading sutures.

Methods: Literature review using the key words "thread lift", "barbed suture", "suture suspension" and "APTOS".

Amplified music exposure carries risks to hearing.

Objective: To investigate the association between changes in the outer hair cells and exposure to amplified music in a group of high-school students.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective, case-control study, 86 subjects underwent audiometry, immittance audiometry, and distortion-product otoacoustic emission tests. The subjects were questioned about their listening habits and divided into 2 groups: exposed and unexposed.

The chemopreventive effect of Ginkgo biloba extract 761 against cisplatin ototoxicity: a pilot study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, by using distortion product otoacoustic emission test, the action of Ginkgo biloba extract 761, which has a known antioxidant property, as a possible otoprotective against cisplatin induced hearing loss. This prospective and double blinded study was conducted on individuals that were to begin cisplatin treatment in a tertiary university center. They were randomized and allocated in two groups: control group (CG) (n = 07) receiving placebo and cisplatin and study group (SG) (n = 08) receiving Ginkgo biloba extract 761 (240 mg/day) and cisplatin.

Intratympanic corticosteroid for sudden hearing loss: does it really work?

Introduction: Sudden deafness is characterized by an abrupt hearing loss of at least 30dB in three sequential frequencies in the standard pure tone audiogram over three days or less. Treatment is based on its etiology, and oral corticosteroids are widely used. Intratympanic corticosteroids are included as primary or secondary treatment when there is no improvement with the use of oral corticosteroids.

Tinnitus Annoyance in Normal-Hearing Individuals: Correlation With Depression and Anxiety.

Objective: To assess and correlate tinnitus annoyance in normal-hearing patients with auditory brainstem response and with anxiety/depression.

Methods: A sample of 84 individuals with tinnitus and normal hearing levels (pure-tone thresholds ≤25 dB HL) was compared to a matched control group of 47 normal-hearing individuals without tinnitus. All participants underwent auditory brainstem response testing.

Hearing preservation in cochlear implant surgery.

In the past, it was thought that hearing loss patients with residual low-frequency hearing would not be good candidates for cochlear implantation since insertion was expected to induce inner ear trauma. Recent advances in electrode design and surgical techniques have made the preservation of residual low-frequency hearing achievable and desirable. The importance of preserving residual low-frequency hearing cannot be underestimated in light of the added benefit of hearing in noisy atmospheres and in music quality.

Prevalence of hearing loss in newborns of mothers who had malaria and were treated with antimalaric drugs in pregnancy.

Introduction: Gestational malaria is related to very bad perinatal outcomes and antimalarial drugs used during pregnancy can be ototoxic to the fetus.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in newborns of mothers who had malaria and treated with antimalarial drugs during pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: Cross-sectional study which involved 35 newborns.

Stage II Chronic Maxillary Atelectasis Associated with Subclinical Visual Field Defect.

Introduction Chronic maxillary atelectasis (CMA) is characterized by a persistent decrease in the maxillary sinus volume due to inward bowing of its walls. According to its severity, it may be classified into three clinical-radiological stages. Objective To report a case of stage II CMA associated with subclinical visual field defect.

Is the degree of discomfort caused by tinnitus in normal-hearing individuals correlated with psychiatric disorders?

Objective: To evaluate the annoyance of tinnitus in normal-hearing patients and to correlate it with outer hair cell function and with anxiety and depression disorders.

Study Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary care medical center.

Effect of hormone replacement therapy on the auditory brainstem response of postmenopausal women.

Objective: To investigate whether hormone replacement therapy modifies the auditory brainstem response in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Nineteen postmenopausal women received hormone replacement therapy (study group) and 25 received no treatment nor placebo (control group). In both groups, age ranged from 45 to 60 years and pure-tone sensitivity was 25 dB or better at frequencies between 500 and 2000 Hz.

Auditory neuropathy spectrum: the importance of adequate diagnosis.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of misdiagnosis of the hearing impaired children, in order to investigate the existence of Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder.

Methods: Analytical, prospective study conducted with 15 participants (30 ears) aged 10-12 years, with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, attending a Hearing Rehabilitation Center, accompanied by a multidisciplinary team with otolaryngologist, audiologist, psychologist, teacher and social worker. The participants underwent ENT examination and audiological assessment: tympanometry, acoustic reflexes, otoacoustic emissions test and Auditory Evoked response.

Intratympanic corticotherapy and tinnitus control after sudden hearing loss.

Introduction: Sudden deafness is characterized by an abrupt onset, often idiopathic and tinnitus is present, and becomes the main complaint in up to 80% of patients.

Objective: To review carefully all studies of the past 10 years on sudden deafness and tinnitus and analyze the effectiveness of oral and intratympanic steroids for tinnitus control in eight patients with sudden deafness and severe disabling tinnitus.

Method: An analytical prospective in which 64 patients after sudden deafness with tinnitus were monitored and 08 of these suffering with severe disabling tinnitus underwent hearing evaluation and application of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and Visual Analogue Scale before, during and after sudden deafness treated with oral and intratympanic steroids.

Auditory monitoring by means of evaluation of the cochlea in soldiers of the Brazilian Army exposed to impulse noise.

Introduction: Exposure to continuous or impulse noise may lead to High Sound Pressure Induced Hearing Loss (HSPIHL) or to acoustic trauma in soldiers. Auditory evaluation by means of evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAE) has been demonstrating its importance in the detection of subtle changes in cochlear function still unidentified in threshold tone audiometry in subjects exposed to noise.

Objective: Studying Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) before and after exposure to impulse noise in soldiers of the Brazilian Army.