Outcomes of Endoscopic versus Microscopic Ossicular Chain Reconstruction-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: The efficacy of the transcanal endoscopic approach in tympanoplasty, cholesteatoma removal, and stapedotomy is detailed. This study reviews evidence on the feasibility of endoscopic ossiculoplasty as a suitable alternative to traditional microscopic ossiculoplasty.

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 19 June 2024 for articles comparing endoscopic and microscopic ossicular chain reconstruction.

Evaluating the accuracy of a self-administered smartphone hearing test application in a geriatric population.

Background: As the global population ages, hearing loss becomes increasingly prevalent, and is associated with neurocognitive and psychiatric comorbidities, impacting quality of life. Early screening and timely intervention might prevent or delay cognitive decline, a gap in care that can potentially be addressed by self-administered smartphone hearing tests.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of Mimi™ (Berlin, Germany), a commercially available self-administered smartphone hearing test compared to pure tone audiogram (PTA) in terms of both hearing levels and hearing thresholds in our local geriatric population > 65 years-old.

Association of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo with Depression and Anxiety-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the extent to which Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is associated with a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients.

Data Sources: Three databases including PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched by two independent authors from inception to June 12, 2022 for observational studies and randomized controlled trials investigating the association between BPPV and depression and anxiety. We included studies published as full-length articles in peer-reviewed journals with an adult population aged at least 18 years who have BPPV, detected through validated clinical methods like clinical diagnosis, interview and Dix-Hallpike test.

Combining multimodal magnetic resonance brain imaging and machine learning to unravel neurocognitive function in non-neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To study whether multimodal brain MRI comprising permeability and perfusion measures coupled with machine learning can predict neurocognitive function in young patients with SLE without neuropsychiatric manifestations.

Methods: SLE patients and healthy controls (HCs) (≤40 years of age) underwent multimodal structural brain MRI that comprised voxel-based morphometry (VBM), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI in this cross-sectional study. Neurocognitive function assessed by Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics was reported as the total throughput score (TTS).

An Innovative 3-dimensional Model of the Epitympanum for Teaching of Middle Ear Anatomy.

Objective: To facilitate teaching of the anatomy of the epitympanum, we developed and evaluated the effectiveness of an interactive 3-dimensional (3D) computer model that can be viewed from all angles.

Study Design: Questionnaire-based prospective randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Undergraduate medical education program.

Intratympanic steroids as a salvage treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss? A meta-analysis.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is typically treated with systemic steroids. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of salvage intratympanic steroid treatment in patients who have initial treatment failure with systemic steroids. A MEDLINE literature search was performed, supported by searches of Web of Science, Biosis, and Science Direct.

The use of the facial clinimetric evaluation scale as a patient-based grading system in Bell's palsy.

Objectives/hypothesis: The severity of Bell's facial palsy is monitored through physician-graded instruments, like the House-Brackmann or Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (FGS). These instruments primarily measure the degree of facial muscle impairment and its resulting asymmetry, but neglect the other functional aspects of facial disability. The aim of this study is therefore to compare the FGS with a patient-graded quality-of-life (QOL) instrument, Facial Clinimetric Evaluation Scale (FaCE).

Clinical audit of the microbiology of otorrhoea referred to a tertiary hospital in Singapore.

Introduction: Otorrhoea is a common complaint in Ear, Nose and Throat clinics. This study aimed to establish the pathogens involved in cases of otorrhoea in Singapore, their sensitivity patterns and the effectiveness of empirical management.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 91 patients with otorrhoea who had undergone swab cultures between July 2010 and February 2011.

Fabrication of patient specific fasciaform molds for formaldehyde fasciaform grafting tympanoplasty.

In this paper, we report a procedure for making a patient specific Fasciaform Mold for a Formaldehyde Fasciaform Grafting Tympanoplasty procedure based on Computer Tomography (CT) of the patient's temporal bone. Three dimensional ear canal models were first reconstructed from the CT scans of patients. The models were then used by CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machines for making stainless steel molds as well as rapid prototyping machines for producing acrylic based polymer molds.

Auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony detected by universal newborn hearing screening.

The implementation of neonatal hearing screening has enabled early detection and intervention in hearing loss. The use of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem response testing in universal screening has led to the recognition of this recently described disorder called auditory neuropathy/auditory dys-synchrony (AN/AD). This diagnosis indicates that the infant has significant hearing loss despite having normal outer hair cells in the cochlea.

Impact of dysphagia on quality-of-life in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Little is known about dysphagia or quality of life (QOL) in patients treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of dysphagia on QOL in patients treated for NPC as measured by two standard tools, the University of Washington Quality-of-Life Questionnaire(1) (UW-QOL) and the Swallow Quality-of-Life Questionnaire(3) (SWAL-QOL).

Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey of 59 consecutive disease-free survivors of NPC attending the head and neck cancer clinic at the National University Hospital, Singapore.