Disparities among Different Countries in Access for Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Objective: Timely diagnosis and management of pediatric sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is essential for best outcomes. This study evaluated the differences of health access among cochlear implant (CI) centers of countries with different health care systems.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Can Imaging Predict Hearing Outcomes in Children With Cochleovestibular Nerve Abnormalities?

Objectives/hypothesis: To identify the imaging characteristics associated with better hearing outcomes found in cochleovestibular nerve (CVN) abnormalities treated with hearing aids and/or cochlear implantation (CI).

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken of 69 ears with CVN abnormalities seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) treated at a tertiary referral academic center analyzing the clinical features, imaging characteristics, and hearing data.

Exploring Factors Responsible for Delay in Pediatric Cochlear Implantation.

Objective: To identify and characterize demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with delays in cochlear implantation (CI) in children.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Setting: Tertiary pediatric CI referral center.

Trend correlations for coastal eutrophication and its main local and whole-sea drivers - Application to the Baltic Sea.

Coastal eutrophication is a major environmental issue worldwide. In the Baltic Sea, eutrophication affects both the coastal waters and the open sea. Various policy frameworks aim to hinder its progress but eutrophication-relevant water quality variables, such as chlorophyll-a concentrations, still exhibit opposite temporal trends in various Baltic Sea marine and coastal waters.

Factors Associated With Unilateral Hearing Loss and Impact on Communication in US Adults.

Objective: To investigate the factors associated with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) and its impact on communication in US adults.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Nationally representative sample of US adults.

Successful treatment of highly recurrent facial baroparesis in a frequent high-altitude traveler: a case report.

Background: Facial baroparesis is a palsy of the seventh cranial nerve resulting from increased pressure compressing the nerve along its course through the middle ear cavity. It is a rare condition, most commonly reported in barotraumatic environments, in particular scuba diving and high-altitude air travel. We report here an unusual case of highly frequent baroparesis, workup, and successful treatment.

Abnormal cochleovestibular anatomy and imaging: Lack of consistency across quality of images, sequences obtained, and official reports.

Objectives: There are significant variations across centers on how to acquire and interpret imaging of children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss and cochleovestibular abnormalities. This study assesses the quality of imaging, sequences included, and accuracy of official radiology reports, to determine if these children are being assessed appropriately.

Methods: This study is retrospective review of CTs and MRIs from 40 pediatric patients diagnosed with profound sensorineural hearing loss and cochleovestibular structure/nerve abnormalities presenting to a tertiary referral academic center.

Genes Implicated in Rare Congenital Inner Ear and Cochleovestibular Nerve Malformations.

Objective: A small subset of children with congenital hearing loss have abnormal cochleovestibular nerves (i.e., absent, aplastic, or deficient cochlear nerves), with largely unknown etiology.

A de novo SIX1 variant in a patient with a rare nonsyndromic cochleovestibular nerve abnormality, cochlear hypoplasia, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: Childhood hearing impairment affects language and cognitive development. Profound congenital sensorineural hearing impairment can be due to an abnormal cochleovestibular nerve (CVN) and cochleovestibular malformations, however, the etiology of these conditions remains unclear.

Methods: We used a trio-based exome sequencing approach to unravel the underlying molecular etiology of a child with a rare nonsyndromic CVN abnormality and cochlear hypoplasia.

Standardization of the Punch Technique for the Implantation of Bone Anchored Auditory Devices: Evaluation of the MIPS Surgical Set.

Objective: To describe and assess intraoperative and postoperative outcomes in the insertion of osseointegrated auditory implants with a newly designed surgical instrumentation set through a punch type technique.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: Patients who underwent bone anchored auditory implant surgery using the Minimally Invasive Ponto Surgery (Oticon Medical, Somerset, NJ) surgical set through a punch technique at nine neurotology tertiary referral based practices were identified.

De novo variants in GREB1L are associated with non-syndromic inner ear malformations and deafness.

Congenital inner ear malformations affecting both the osseous and membranous labyrinth can have a devastating impact on hearing and language development. With the exception of an enlarged vestibular aqueduct, non-syndromic inner ear malformations are rare, and their underlying molecular biology has thus far remained understudied. To identify molecular factors that might be important in the developing inner ear, we adopted a family-based trio exome sequencing approach in young unrelated subjects with severe inner ear malformations.

Abnormal Cochleovestibular Anatomy and Hearing Outcomes: Pediatric Patients with a Questionable Cochleovestibular Nerve Status May Benefit from Cochlear Implantation and/or Hearing Aids.

Objective: Imaging characteristics and hearing outcomes in children with cochleovestibular or cochleovestibular nerve (CVN) abnormalities.

Study Design: Retrospective, critical review.

Setting: Tertiary referral academic center.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss and Hearing Care Use Among Asian Americans: A Nationally Representative Sample.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of hearing loss and factors affecting hearing care use among Asian Americans, using the first nationally representative sample of Asian Americans.

Study Design: National cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Ambulatory examination centers.

Evaluation of the increased use of partial resection of large vestibular schwanommas: facial nerve outcomes and recurrence/regrowth rates.

Objective: To determine whether partial tumor removal in large vestibular schwannoma improves facial nerve outcomes while maintaining a low risk of tumor regrowth/recurrence.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review and prospective database.

Setting: Tertiary neurotologic referral center.

Hearing preservation: microsurgery.

Purpose Of Review: To evaluate the recent and significant contributions to the literature that examine hearing preservation outcomes and prognostic factors in vestibular schwannoma microsurgery.

Recent Findings: Hearing preservation rates overall range considerably between 2 and 93% in recent studies. There are a number of factors that have been reported to be significant in the prediction of hearing preservation.

Comparison of traditional 2-dimensional endoscopic pituitary surgery with new 3-dimensional endoscopic technology: intraoperative and early postoperative factors.

Background: Traditionally, endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is performed using 2-dimensional (2D) endoscopes, which lack depth of field and contribute to image distortion. Recently, a new generation of 3D endoscopes has been introduced for improved endoscopic depth perception. Little data exist comparing surgical outcomes with 2D vs 3D endoscopic systems.

Treatment of sinus headache as migraine: the diagnostic utility of triptans.

Objective: To determine the response rate to triptans in alleviating "sinus headache" in patients with endoscopy- and computed tomography (CT)-negative sinus examinations.

Study Design: Prospective clinical trial.

Methods: Patients who presented to a tertiary care center Otolaryngology Department with primary complaints of facial pain, pressure, or headache localized over the area of the sinuses, and a self- or physician-diagnosis of "sinus headache" were enrolled.

Toll-like receptor 7-dependent loss of B cell tolerance in pathogenic autoantibody knockin mice.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by the production of autoantibodies that are frequently directed against nucleic acid-associated antigens. To better understand how B cells reactive with such antigens are regulated, we generated a model system in which heavy and light chain genes encoding 564 immunoglobulin have been targeted to the heavy and light chain loci of the nonautoimmune C57BL/6 mouse strain. This antibody recognizes RNA, single-stranded DNA, and nucleosomes.

Endemic malaria in the Peruvian Amazon region of Iquitos.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Peruvian Amazon to test the hypothesis that a reservoir of asymptomatic malaria parasitemic patients would form the basis for continuing malaria endemicity in the region. Active surveillance yielded a Plasmodium spp. slide-positive prevalence of 4.