A Virtual Reality Anatomy Model of the Temporal Bone in ORL Residency Training-Gain or Gadget?

Objectives: Virtual reality (VR) appears to be a promising educational tool for otorhinolaryngology (ORL) residency training, as it allows for safe and effective practice immediate feedback and potential improvements in patient outcomes. Despite these advantages, VR has not yet been incorporated into residency training in ORL, which may be due to limited availability or validation and skepticism toward incorporation of new training methods. This study investigates whether a VR model of the temporal bone improves learning success for ORL residents in comparison to standard plastic models and whether it depends on surgeon's experience.

Virtual reality cricothyrotomy - a case-control study on gamification in emergency education.

Background: Cricothyrotomy is an invasive and rare emergency intervention to secure the airway in a "cannot intubate, cannot ventilate" situation. This leads to lack of routine. Cricothyrotomy is performed only hesitantly.

Auditory capacity of the better-hearing ear in asymmetric hearing loss.

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate the course of the hearing capacity of the better-hearing ear in single-sided deafness (SSD) and asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) over time, in a multicenter study.

Methods: We included 2086 pure-tone audiograms from 323 patients with SSD and AHL from four hospitals and 156 private practice otorhinolaryngologists. We collected: age, gender, etiology, duration of deafness, treatment with CI, number and monosyllabic speech recognition, numerical rating scale (NRS) of tinnitus intensity, and the tinnitus questionnaire according to Goebel and Hiller.

Prediction of postoperative speech comprehension with the transcutaneous partially implantable bone conduction hearing system Osia®.

Background: The active transcutaneous, partially implantable osseointegrated bone conduction system Cochlear™ Osia® (Cochlear, Sydney, Australia) has been approved for use in German-speaking countries since April 2021. The Osia is indicated for patients either having conductive (CHL) or mixed hearing loss (MHL) with an average bone conduction (BC) hearing loss of 55 dB HL or less, or having single-sided deafness (SSD).

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prediction of postoperative speech recognition with Osia® and to evaluate the speech recognition of patients with MHL and in particular an aided dynamic range of less than 30 dB with Osia®.

Long-Term Outcome of Cochlear Implantation in Children With Congenital, Perilingual, and Postlingual Single-Sided Deafness.

Objectives: We investigated the long-term outcomes of children with single-sided deafness (SSD) after cochlear implant (CI) surgery, during and after rehabilitation, and compared the results of children with congenital, perilingual, and postlingual SSD. We evaluated the impact of SSD at age at onset and duration of deafness on their performance.

Design: Thirty-six children with SSD treated with CI participated in the study: 20 had congenital, seven perilingual (defined: >0 to 4 years), and nine had postlingual deafness (defined as >4 years of age).

[Prediction of speech understanding with the transcutaneous partially implantable bone conduction hearing system Osia®. German Version].

Background: The active transcutaneous, partially implantable osseointegrated bone conduction system Cochlear™ Osia® (Cochlear, Sydney, Australia) has been approved for use in German-speaking countries since April 2021. The Osia is indicated for patients with conductive (CHL) or mixed hearing loss (MHL) with an average bone conduction (BC) hearing loss of 55 dB or less, or with single-sided deafness (SSD).

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prediction of postoperative speech recognition with Osia and to evaluate the speech recognition of patients with MHL and an aided dynamic range of less than 30 dB with Osia.

Binaural Integration of Spectrally Degraded Speech in Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients with Single-Sided Deafness.

Introduction: Our purpose was to investigate binaural integration for spectrally degraded speech in normal-hearing (NH) subjects, single-sided deafness (SSD) cochlear implant (CI) recipients, and bilateral deaf bilateral CI recipients.

Methods: We tested ten adult subjects in each group with a modified version of the binaural fusion test according to Matzker. Speech recognition was assessed for monotic listening with the better-hearing ear or CI, monotic listening with the poorer-hearing ear or CI, and dichotic listening.

Neural activity of the auditory cortex predicts speech recognition of patients with asymmetric hearing loss after cochlear implantation.

Patients with asymmetric hearing loss show an asymmetry of glucose metabolism of the primary auditory cortex (PAC). We investigated whether this asymmetry could serve as an objective predictor for speech recognition with CI. Nine patients underwent FDG PET prior to CI surgery.

Hearing outcome after tympanoplasty type III.

Purpose: We assessed overall hearing outcome after tympanoplasty type III in chronically infected ears with cholesteatoma (CH) and without cholesteatoma: otitis media chronica mesotympanalis, tympanosclerosis, and adhesive process (COM_T_AP).

Methods: 303 surgeries were evaluated: 229 CH-group and 74 COM_T_AP-group. Air-bone gaps (PTA-ABG) with pure-tone averages (PTA-4) at four frequencies (0.

[Establishing an ORL virtual outpatient Dept. during the COVID-19 pandemic].

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic changed medical education: teaching has been mostly converted to online mode. Our aim is to offer a complete high-quality curriculum despite the fact of worldwide cutbacks in education.

Methods: The department of otorhinolaryngology introduced case-based learning (CBL).

Long-term data of the new transcutaneous partially implantable bone conduction hearing system Osia®.

Purpose: The new active transcutaneous partially implantable osseointegrated system Cochlear™ Osia® System is indicated in case of conductive or mixed hearing loss (CHL/MHL) with a maximum average bone conduction hearing loss of 55 dB, or in single-sided deafness (SSD). The implant directly stimulates the bone via a piezoelectric transducer and is directed by an external sound processor. We conducted a monocentric retrospective longitudinal within-subject clinical study at our tertiary academic referral center.

PET/CT background noise and its effect on speech recognition.

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been successfully used to investigate central nervous processes, including the central auditory pathway. Unlike early water-cooled PET-scanners, novel PET/CT scanners employ air cooling and include a CT system, both of which result in higher background noise levels. In the present study, we describe the background noise generated by two state-of-the-art air-cooled PET/CT scanners.

Active transcutaneous bone-anchored hearing implant: how I do it.

Background: The Cochlear™ Osia® System leaves a retroauricular bump that can cause discomfort and poor aesthetic outcome.

Method: To reduce the retroauricular bump, we introduced an implant well in the bone behind the ear for the transducer. We used cutting and diamond drills to create the implant well with an average depth of 4-5 mm.

Deafness after COVID-19?

This article presents a case of sudden bilateral deafness in the context of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection and resultant coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). After treatment in the intensive care unit for acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute kidney failure, hearing ability had drastically changed. While hearing had been subjectively normal before the infection, deafness was now measured on the left and profound hearing loss on the right ear.

[Deafness after COVID-19? German version].

This article presents a case of sudden bilateral deafness in the context of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection and resultant coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). After treatment in the intensive care unit for acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute kidney failure, hearing ability had drastically changed. While hearing had been subjectively normal before the infection, deafness was now measured on the left and profound hearing loss on the right ear.

Bone-anchored hearing system, contralateral routing of signals hearing aid or cochlear implant: what is best in single-sided deafness?

Purpose: The aim of the study was to compare long-term results after 1 year in patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) who were fitted with different hearing aids. The participants tested contralateral routing of signals (CROS) hearing aids and bone-anchored hearing systems (BAHS). They were also informed about the possibility of a cochlear implant (CI) and chose one of the three devices.

Speech Recognition in Noise in Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Children on Using Adaptive Digital Microphone Technology.

Background: Previous research demonstrated benefits of adaptive digital microphone technologies (ADMTs) in adults with single-sided deafness (SSD) having a cochlear implant (CI). Children with SSD are especially affected by background noise because of their noise exposure in kindergarten and school.

Purpose: This article aims to evaluate possible effects of ADMT on speech recognition in background noise in children with SSD who use a CI.

Collateral damage of the COVID-19 pandemic: an alarming decline in critical procedures in otorhinolaryngology in a German university hospital.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on the diagnosis and treatment of ENT patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the pandemic on the number of otolaryngological procedures, particularly for critical diagnoses with potential negative effects due to prolonged symptom duration.

Methods: We evaluated 10,716 surgical procedures between January 1, 2018 and May 31, 2020, focusing on the 16-week period around March 16, 2020, which includes 1080 observations.

Radiological evaluation of a new straight electrode array compared to its precursors.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine electrode array coverage, scalar position and dislocation rate in straight electrode arrays with special focus on a new electrode array with 26 mm in lengths.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary academic center.

Long-term results of cochlear implantation in children with congenital single-sided deafness.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the outcome and critical age of cochlear implantation in congenital single-sided deafness (SSD).

Methods: 11 children with congenital SSD were implanted with a cochlear implant (CI). Auditory performance was measured through the results of speech discrimination, subjective assessment by the Categories of auditory performance (CAP) score, the Speech, Spatial and Qualities scale questionnaire (SSQ) and the German version of the IOI-HA [Internationales Inventar zur Evaluation von Hörgeräten (IIEH, version for CI)].

Is the cochlear implant a successful long-term solution for single-sided deaf and asymmetric hearing-impaired patients?

Purpose: We investigated the long-term results of cochlear implant (CI) recipients with asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) or single-sided deafness (SSD). We focused on wearing behavior, audiometric hearing rehabilitation, and subjective benefits of the CI. CI is expected to improve audiological results, subjective hearing perception, and tinnitus burden.

Comparison of Speech Recognition and Localization Ability in Single-sided Deaf Patients Implanted With Different Cochlear Implant Electrode Array Designs.

Objective: Choice of electrode array (EA) design and differences in outcome are major concerns both to patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) and to surgeons before cochlear implant (CI) surgery. The present work investigates the effects of EA design on 1) insertion depths, and 2) audiological outcomes of SSD CI recipients.

Study Design: Retrospective study.