Outcome of Primary Stapedotomy in 21 Consecutive Cases of Juvenile Otosclerosis.

Background/objectives: Otosclerosis is a relatively uncommon condition that causes conductive hearing loss in children. The preferred treatment for adults is stapedotomy, while for individuals under 18 years old, there is an ongoing discussion about the best treatment approach. Thus, the surgical procedure for the stapes in pediatric patients continues to be a subject of debate.

A Case Report of Malignant Cerebellopontine Angle Lesion Highlighting the Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Challenge in the Case of Unilateral Progressive Hearing Loss.

The authors present the case of a young boy who experienced progressive unilateral hearing loss initially believed to be unrelated to any other medical condition. The patient received a thorough evaluation, which included a comprehensive battery of audiological tests, a CT scan, and a gadolinium-enhanced MRI. A repeated imaging investigation revealed the presence of a mass that mimicked a vestibular schwannoma (VS), but despite this, the boy was ultimately diagnosed with cerebral manifestations of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).

Contiguous Gene Syndromes and Hearing Loss: A Clinical Report of Xq21 Deletion and Comprehensive Literature Review.

Given the crucial role of the personalized management and treatment of hearing loss (HL), etiological investigations are performed early on, and genetic analysis significantly contributes to the determination of most syndromic and nonsyndromic HL cases. Knowing hundreds of syndromic associations with HL, little comprehensive data about HL in genomic disorders due to microdeletion or microduplications of contiguous genes is available. Together with the description of a new patient with a novel 3.

Evolution of Hyperventilation-Induced Nystagmus in Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy-Interpretative Model and Etiopathogenetic Hypotheses.

Hyperventilation induces metabolic changes that can elicit nystagmus (hyperventilation-induced nystagmus, HVIN) in various vestibular disorders, revealing vestibular imbalance and bringing out central or peripheral asymmetries. In acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUVP, namely vestibular neuritis), hyperventilation can induce different patterns of nystagmus (excitatory, inhibitory, or negative), disclosing or modifying existing static vestibular asymmetries through its ability to invalidate compensation or increase peripheral excitability. In this context, we followed the evolutionary stages of HVIN in AUVP across 35 consecutive patients, with the goal of assessing alterations in the oculomotor pattern caused by hyperventilation over time.

Evaluation of Cochlear Symptoms in Migraine Patients without Vestibular Migraine and/or Ménière's Disease.

Migraine pathogenic pathways may selectively target the cochlea. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of cochlear symptoms in migraine patients without vestibular migraine and/or Méniere's disease was conducted. We examined 60 consecutive patients with history of cochlear symptoms, including fullness, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

Practice of Monitoring Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity by Audiology, ENT, and Oncology Specialists: A Survey-Based Study in a Single Italian Medical Center.

Ototoxic drugs can result in hearing loss and tinnitus. Early detection of the ototoxic process can help minimize or prevent these consequences. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has provided guidelines for monitoring ototoxicity, whereas Italy has not yet implemented a national monitoring protocol.

Treatment of Far-Advanced Otosclerosis: Stapedotomy Plus Hearing Aids to Maximize the Recovery of Auditory Function-A Retrospective Case Series.

Far-advanced otosclerosis (FAO) refers to severe otosclerosis with scarce auditory functions. The identification of the best method to correctly listen to sound and speech has a large impact on patients' quality of life. We retrospectively analyzed the auditory function of 15 patients affected by FAO who were treated with stapedectomy plus hearing aids independent of the severity of their auditory deficit before surgery.

Early cochlear implantation in prelingual profound hearing loss in Italy, analyzed by means of a social media survey.

Objective: To assess newborn hearing screening (NHS) impact on timing of cochlear implant (CI) surgery of patients with prelingual bilateral profound hearing impairment (BPHI), in order to evaluate whether the NHS ultimately serves the needs of the target population in Italy.

Methods: An online questionnaire was created to survey subjects affected by prelingual BPHL born between 1990 and 2018. Questions focused on age at BPHI diagnosis, first and second CI surgery (if performed), and the region in which the surgery was performed.

Critical Issues in the Management of Newborn Hearing Screening in the Time of COVID-19 in Umbria, Italy.

Hearing impairment is the most frequent of the sensorial defects in humans, and if not treated promptly, can severely impair cognitive and spoken language skills. For this reason, a universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has been established. The purpose of our study is to examine, by means of a retrospective analysis, the results of the UNHS program in the Umbria region during the spread of COVID-19 (2020-2021), comparing the same data from the years 2011-2012, to understand if the program has improved.

Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness in Episodic Vestibular Disorders.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), Vestibular Migraine (VM), and Meniere Disease (MD) are among the most common episodic vestibulopathies. Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) is a chronic functional vestibular disorder that can arise in patients suffering from one or more of these conditions. We analyzed the role of these vestibular disorders as single or multiple associated comorbidities and as a precipitating condition for PPPD.

OTOPLAN, Cochlear Implant, and Far-Advanced Otosclerosis: Could the Use of Software Improve the Surgical Final Indication?

Cochlear implant surgery in far-advanced otosclerosis can be challenging due to the degenerative process that affects the cochlea. We used OTOPLAN® to plan and define the details of surgery in a patient with such severe alteration of the cochlea that cochlear implant could be contraindicated. A 73-year-old man affected by bilateral far-advanced otosclerosis, previously treated by bilateral stapedotomy, presented 0% of speech discrimination using bilateral hearing aids.

The effect of female hormone in otosclerosis. A comparative study and speculation about their effect on the ossicular chain based on the clinical results.

Purpose: This study aimed at identifying gender differences in the hearing thresholds in a sample of patients with otosclerosis before and after surgery to understand the impact of female hormones on auditory thresholds.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 184 patients (123 women and 61 men) affected by otosclerosis. All the patients were affected by conductive hearing loss and treated by stapedoplasty.

Audiological Performance of ADHEAR Systems in Simulated Conductive Hearing Loss: A Case Series with a Review of the Existing Literature.

A new non-invasive adhesive bone conduction hearing device (ABCD) has been proposed as an alternative solution for reversible bilateral conductive hearing loss in recurrent or long-lasting forms of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children that cannot undergo surgical treatment. Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of ABCD in children with OME. Twelve normal-hearing Italian-speaking volunteers, in whom a conductive hearing loss was simulated, participated in the study.

Does Unilateral Hearing Loss Impair Working Memory? An Italian Clinical Study Comparing Patients With and Without Hearing Aids.

Working memory (WM) function can be reduced in patients suffering from unilateral hearing loss (UHL) and can affect their academic performance. We aimed to compare the WM abilities of three categories of children with UHL: patients implanted with hearing aids (HAs), patients receiving a bone-anchored hearing implant (BAHI), and subjects who did not receive hearing devices. A randomized clinical study, in which 45 children (mean age: 9.

Facial taping as biofeedback to improve the outcomes of physical rehab in Bell's palsy: preliminary results of a randomized case-control study.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of taping in association with Kabat rehabilitation to ameliorate the outcomes of Bell's palsy.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted on hospital-outbound patients. 20 patients over 18 years affected from Bell's palsy were recruited at the onset of the disease (< 5 days).

Extramedullary nasal plasmacytoma arising after polyp excision and the role of the inflammation in tumor development: A case report.

A correlation between inflammation and cancer has been identified in the case of nasal cancer, however a specific connection between nasal inflammation and extramedullary nasal plasmacytoma (ENP), to the best of our knowledge, has not yet been determined. The present case report describes a patient affected by ENP, in who the tumor arose in the same area, from which a nasal polyp was previously surgically removed, five months after the polyp excision. The patient underwent surgical endoscopic tumor asportation without being treated with radio-chemotherapy.

A minimally invasive endoscope assisted retrosigmoid approach for removal of arachnoid cysts in the internal auditory canal: a step by step description.

Introduction: Arachnoid cyst in the internal auditory canal is a quite rare pathology but due to its compressive action on the nerves in this district should be surgically removed. Several surgical techniques have been proposed but no surgeons have used the minimally assisted endoscope retrosigmoid approach for its removal.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of using a minimally invasive endoscope assisted retro-sigmoid approach for surgical removal of arachnoid cysts in the internal auditory canal.

Can the Jankovic-assessment be used as an alternative to electromyography? A cross-sectional study on facial dystonia patients treated with Botulinum toxin.

Purpose: This study aims to quantitatively compare the Jankovic assessment (JA) with electromyography (EMG)-based measures for assessing changes in facial movements in patients with facial dystonia.

Materials And Methods: Thirteen patients (five males and eight females) affected with different forms of facial dystonia (hemifacial spasm and synkinesis) participated in this study. All patients were treated with Botulinum Toxin (BTX) and evaluated with the JA scale and EMG-based measures, including motor unit potentials (MUP) latency and presence of polyphasic potentials before and after BTX injection.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Newborns Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Observational Study.

Children hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) present an increased risk for Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL) due to prematurity, hypoxia-ischemia, hyperventilation, low birth weight and the use of ototoxic drugs. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of SNHL in newborns hospitalized in a NICU using Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE) and Automated Auditory Brainstem Responses (A-ABR) and analyze the associated risk factors. A sample of 153 newborns hospitalized in NICU underwent TEOAE, A-ABR and clinical ABR to evaluate the presence of hearing deficits.

The use of povidone-iodine and sugar solution in surgical wound dehiscence in the head and neck following radio-chemotherapy.

Povidone-iodine is known for successfully treating surgical wounds; the combination between povidone-iodine and sugar, also called Knutson's formula, has been proposed to improve wound healing. Currently, no studies have investigated the effects of Knutson's formula to treat defects in wound closure following radio-chemotherapy in the head and neck region. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Knutson's formula in improving the wound-healing process in patients who underwent radio-chemotherapy after surgery for head and neck cancer.

Vestibular paroxysmia in vestibular neuritis: A case report.

The term vestibular paroxysmia (VP) was introduced for the first time by Brandt and Dieterich in 1994. In 2016, the Barany Society formulated the International Classification of VP, focusing in particular on the number and duration of attacks, on the differential diagnosis and on the therapy. Ephaptic discharges in the proximal part of the eighth cranial nerve, which is covered by oligodendrocytes, are assumed to be the neural basis of VP.