Balloon Eustachian tuboplasty for obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction: retrospective multicentre cohort study of 248 patients.

Objective: To present the results after balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) in patients with obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction (OETD) grouped up into: baro-challenge, chronic serous otitis media and adhaesive otitis media.

Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on patients who underwent BET surgery. As outcome measures, otoscopy, tympanometry, Eustachian tube dysfunction questionnaire-7 (ETDQ-7) and ability to perform the Valsalva manoeuvre were recorded at baseline and at 3, 12 and 24 months after BET.

Presbycusis and balance disorders in the elderly. Bibliographical review of ethiopathogenic aspects, consequences on quality of life and positive effects of its treatment.

At this time, we still do not have adequate knowledge and awareness of the consequences of hearing loss in the elderly on quality of life. Similarly, there is also insufficient information on the relationship of presbycusis and balance disorders with other comorbidities. Such knowledge can contribute to improve both prevention and treatment of these pathologies, to reduce their impact on other areas such as cognition or autonomy, as well as to have more accurate information on the economic impact they generate in society and in the health system.

Consensus on treatment of obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction with balloon Eustachian tuboplasty.

Objective: There is a great variability in diagnosis of obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction and its treatment by balloon Eustachian tuboplasty (BET). The aim of this paper was to present a consensus on indications, contraindications, methodology, complications and results after BET.

Material And Methods: We obtained a consensus on BET, after a systematic review of the literature on BET from 1966 to November 2018, using MESH terms «Eustachian tube and (dilation or dysfunction)», including a total of 1.

Impact of an oral appliance on obstructive sleep apnea severity, quality of life, and biomarkers.

Objective/hypothesis: To investigate outcomes including efficacy, quality of life, and levels of inflammatory markers of a mandibular advancement device (MAD) for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Study Design: Case-control study.

Methods: Patients with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15/hr who only accepted MAD therapy (study group) or who refused any treatment (control group) were recruited.

Surgical planning after sleep versus awake techniques in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective/hypothesis: This study examined correlations between surgical recommendations based on either drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) or common awake examination methods in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Study Design: Prospective, blinded, clinical trial at a university hospital.

Methods: An otorhinolaryngologist designed surgical plans for patients with OSAS after clinical examination, lateral cephalometry, the Müller maneuver, and Friedman staging.

Benefits of the HiRes 120 coding strategy combined with the Harmony processor in an adult European multicentre study.

Conclusion: The Harmony processor was found to be reliable, comfortable and offered a substantially increased battery life compared with the previous generation processor. No significant improvement in speech understanding with HiRes was demonstrated from objective measures, but the majority of subjects showed a clear subjective preference for the combination HiRes 120/Harmony processor.

Objectives: To evaluate experience with the Harmony™ sound processor, together with the HiRes 120 strategy.

[Cochlear implant complications and failures].

Introduction: Cochlear implantation is a relatively safe surgery performed on profound bilateral hearing loss patients. Its surgical indications have increased and the age of implantation has decreased over the last years. As with any other surgery, it presents complications; device failure is one of the most important, given its potential risk for the need to explant and reimplant the device.

[Paediatric cochlear implantation in the critical period of the auditory pathway, our experience].

Introduction: Numerous experimental and clinical studies have suggested a critical or sensitive period in which the auditory pathway develops its greatest potential in terms of plasticity and learning. Early cochlear implantation performed in prelingual deaf children in this period provides a better prognosis for language acquisition. The aim of this study is to show the importance of cochlear implantation before this critical period ends.

Randomized study comparing two tongue base surgeries for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and morbidity of the tongue base radiofrequency and tongue base suspension techniques combined with uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Study Design And Setting: Prospective and randomized surgical trial at a university hospital.

Methods: In total, 57 patients received either tongue base radiofrequency reduction (n = 29) or tongue base suspension (n = 28).

An experimental comparative study of dexamethasone, melatonin and tacrolimus in noise-induced hearing loss.

Conclusion: The calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus (TCR) and the pineal gland hormone and antioxidant melatonin (MLT) have been shown to possess otoprotective properties against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). In contrast, dexamethasone (DXM) was not effective as an otoprotective agent against NIHL. Further studies are needed to understand the exact molecular mechanisms involved.

Time course of episodes of definitive vertigo in Meniere's disease.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency and duration of episodes of definitive vertigo in Ménière's disease.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study.

Setting: Multiple tertiary referral centers.

Auditory neuropathy in patients carrying mutations in the otoferlin gene (OTOF).

Inherited hearing impairment affects one in 2,000 newborns. Nonsyndromic prelingual forms are inherited mainly as autosomal recessive traits, for which 16 genes are currently known. Mutations in the genes encoding connexins 26 and 30 account for up to 50% of these cases.