Improved intracochlear biopolymeric drug delivery system: an study.

Background: The delivery of drugs into the inner ear is a challenging field of study due to the complex cochlear anatomy and physiology. The creation of an intracochlear device that allows for short- and long-term intracochlear delivery of the drugs with a minimal invasive technology is needed to prevent or treat conditions that can potentially prevent the development of permanent hearing loss.

Aim: This study intends to test the efficacy of DXM-infused PLGA microneedles created in our laboratory in an animal model of acute ototoxic injury.

.Signal Transparency of Remote Microphone Technology in Pediatric Bone Conduction Device Users.

Introduction: Competing noise in the environment negatively affects speech intelligibility, particularly when listening at a distance. This is especially true for children with hearing loss in classroom environments where the signal-to-noise ratio is often poor. Remote microphone technology has been shown to be highly beneficial at improving the signal-to-noise ratio in hearing device users.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Delayed-Healing Tympanic Membrane Perforations Using Hyaluronate-based Laminas as a Delivery System: An Animal Model With Histopathologic Study.

Hypothesis: Bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) improve the healing of chronic tympanic membrane perforations (cTMPs) in an animal model.

Background: cTMPs generate significant morbidity and reduced quality of life, usually requiring surgical assistance. With growing interest in alternative therapies, we sought to evaluate the effect of BM-MSC-therapy on the healing of cTMPs.

Impact of Auditory-Oral Education on Device Use in Children With Hearing Loss.

Purpose: This study examined changes in datalogging for children attending an auditory-oral educational program with integrated audiology services versus children attending a mainstream or nonspecialized program.

Method: Eighty children participated in this study, half of which were enrolled in an auditory-oral educational program versus the nonspecialized or mainstream setting. Datalogging for cochlear implant and hearing aid users was obtained via retrospective medical and educational chart review from 2016 to 2019.

Implications of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Treatment Modality for Tinnitus.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive, neuromodulating technique for brain hyperexcitability disorders. The objective of this paper is to discuss the mechanism of action of rTMS as well as to investigate the literature involving the application of rTMS in the treatment of tinnitus. The reviewed aspects of the protocols included baseline evaluation, the total number of sessions, frequency and the total number of stimuli, the location of treatment, and the outcome measures.

Parenting Stress, Self-Efficacy, and Involvement: Effects on Spoken Language Ability Three Years After Cochlear Implantation.

Objective: This study evaluated associations among parenting stress, self-efficacy, and involvement in relation to spoken language outcomes in young children 3 years following cochlear implantation.

Study Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Six university tertiary medical centers.

Quality of Life-CI: Development of an Early Childhood Parent-Proxy and Adolescent Version.

Objectives: Severe to profound hearing loss is associated with communication, social, and behavioral difficulties that have been linked to worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to individuals with normal hearing. HRQoL has been identified as an important health outcome that measures functional ability, particularly for chronic conditions and disabilities. The current study developed the QoL-cochlear implant (CI) for early childhood and adolescents using the recommended Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency guidelines on patient-reported outcomes.

Association of Conductive Hearing Loss with the Structural Changes in the Organ of Corti.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of conductive hearing loss (CHL) with the structural changes in the organ of Corti.

Methods: Twenty ears of 10 healthy adult Wistar albino rats were included in the study. The right ears (n = 10) of the animals served as controls (group 1), and no surgical intervention was performed in these ears.

Historical Aspects of Gene Therapy and Stem Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Hearing and Balance Disorder.

This review presents many but not all the major historical events that have led to our current understanding of gene and stem cell therapies for the treatment of hearing and balance disorders in animal models of these disorders. In order to better understand the application of these emerging therapies to the treatment of inner ear disorders in a clinical setting, it has been necessary to provide some genetic and pathobiology backgrounds from both animal models and clinical disorders. The current focus and goal of gene and stem cell therapies are directed toward understanding the effective treatment of animal models that mimic human disorders of hearing and balance.

Isolation and Characterization of Mammalian Otic Progenitor Cells that Can Differentiate into Both Sensory Epithelial and Neuronal Cell Lineages.

The mammalian inner ear mediates hearing and balance and during development generates both cochleo-vestibular ganglion neurons and sensory epithelial receptor cells, that is, hair cells and support cells. Cell marking experiments have shown that both hair cells and support cells can originate from a common progenitor. Here, we demonstrate the lineage potential of individual otic epithelial cell clones using three cell lines established by a combination of limiting dilution and gene-marking techniques from an embryonic day 12 (E12) rat otocyst.

A Regenerative Medicine Approach to the Treatment of Hearing, Balance, and Olfactory Disorders: What Is in the Future for Otolaryngology?

Regenerative medicine is being applied to many fields of medicine and is now starting to be considered and developed for application to treat hearing, balance, olfaction, and voice disorders. This special issue of the Anatomical Record with a series of over 20 papers covers many aspects of gene and stem cell therapies as they are developed for clinical applications in both in vitro and in vivo laboratory studies. These studies cover a wide range of approaches from gene editing in zebrafish with the latest technology (i.

Speech Perception Outcomes in Transcutaneous Versus Percutaneous Bone Conduction Stimulation in Individuals With Single-sided Deafness.

Objective(s): To investigate the differences in percutaneous versus passive transcutaneous bone-conduction stimulation in individuals with single-sided deafness.

Study Design: Prospective, single-subject.

Setting: Tertiary academic referral center.

Animal Model of Chronic Tympanic Membrane Perforation.

Chronic tympanic membrane perforations (TMP) can be a source of significant morbidity from hearing loss, recurrent middle ear infections, changes in lifestyle, and risk of cholesteatoma formation. Laboratory experiments of TMP have been fraught by the rapid and high rate of spontaneous healing observed in animal models. There is controversy on the minimal time that perforations in animal models must have in order to be considered chronic TMP and thus have clinical relevance, with authors suggesting time periods of perforation patency of 8-12 weeks.

Ultrastructural Characterization of Stem Cell-Derived Replacement Vestibular Hair Cells Within Ototoxin-Damaged Rat Utricle Explants.

The auditory apparatus of the inner ear does not show turnover of sensory hair cells (HCs) in adult mammals; in contrast, there are many observations supporting low-level turnover of vestibular HCs within the balance organs of mammalian inner ears. This low-level renewal of vestibular HCs exists during normal conditions and it is further enhanced after trauma-induced loss of these HCs. The main process for renewal of HCs within mammalian vestibular epithelia is a conversion/transdifferentiation of existing supporting cells (SCs) into replacement HCs.

TGF β-1 and WNT Signaling Pathways Collaboration Associated with Cochlear Implantation Trauma-Induced Fibrosis.

The crosstalk between TGF-β1 and WNT pathways has been proven to regulate aspects of the development and tissue homeostasis processes. Recently, it has been demonstrated this collaboration also takes place during fibrotic diseases, where TGF-β1 activates the WNT/β-catenin pathway that results in dedifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, increased production of extracellular matrix components and fibrosis. Independent studies show the functions of these molecules during the development of the inner ears in several different species.

Application of Wireless Contralateral Routing of Signal Technology in Unilateral Cochlear Implant Users with Bilateral Profound Hearing Loss.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine if contralateral routing of signal (CROS) technology results in improved hearing outcomes in unilateral cochlear implant (CI) patients and provides similar gains in speech perception in noise to traditional monaural listeners (MLs).

Research Design: The study is a prospective, within-subject repeated-measures experiment.

Study Sample: Adult, English-speaking patients with bilateral severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss using an Advanced Bionics CI (n = 12) in one ear were enrolled for the study.

History of Otosclerosis and Stapes Surgery.

The current advancements in otosclerosis therapy cannot be fully appreciated without studying the history, rediscovery, and modification of a once-forgotten procedure. The evolution of stapes surgery can be best summarized into 4 noteworthy eras: the preantibiotic era (which was forgotten and then rediscovered), the fenestration era (mainstreamed by Julius Lempert), the mobilization era (led by Samuel Rosen), and the modern stapedectomy era (revived and revolutionized by John Shea). Each era is unique with its own challenges and ingenious techniques to overcome what used to be among the leading causes of deafness.

The Advances in Hearing Rehabilitation and Cochlear Implants in China.

Hearing loss (HL) is a common sensory impairment in humans, with significant economic and social impacts. With nearly 20% of the world's population, China has focused on economic development and health awareness to improve the care for its hearing-impaired population. Recently, the Chinese government has initiated national programs such as the China Disabled Persons Federation to fund prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of hearing impairment.

Histologic changes of mesenchymal stem cell repair of tympanic membrane perforation.

Conclusion: Mesenchymal stem-cells are good candidates for cell-therapy of chronic tympanic membranes perforations.

Objectives: To determine the effects of cell-based therapy in tympanic membrane perforations.

Methods: Young C57BL/6 mice were anesthetized with intraperitoneal administration of ketamine and xylazine and randomly divided into three groups (n = 4 ears/group) that underwent bilateral sub-total pars tensa perforations of equal sizes using a sterile 27-gauge needle under a surgical microscope.

Transcranial Attenuation in Patients with Single-Sided Deafness.

Transcranial attenuation (TA) of bone-conducted sound has a high degree of variability by frequency and subject, which may play a role in the objective benefit of individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD) treated with a bone-anchored implant (BAI). This study sought to determine whether TA is predictive of benefit in individuals with SSD who receive a BAI. Adult, English-speaking patients with unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss who underwent a BAI evaluation were included for study.

Effects of Cell-Based Therapy for Treating Tympanic Membrane Perforations in Mice.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of scaffold-embedded mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a topical treatment for healing tympanic membrane perforations (TMPs) in a mouse model.

Study Design: Prospective animal study.

Setting: Experimental.

Electrode array-eluted dexamethasone protects against electrode insertion trauma induced hearing and hair cell losses, damage to neural elements, increases in impedance and fibrosis: A dose response study.

We evaluated the effects of dexamethasone base (DXMb) containing electrode arrays in a guinea pig model of cochlear implantation to determine if eluted DXMb could protect the cochlea against electrode insertion trauma (EIT)-induced: 1) loss of hair cells; 2) disruption of neural elements; 3) increases in hearing thresholds; 4) increased electrical impedance and 5) fibrosis. A guinea pig model of EIT-induced hearing and hair cell losses was used to test silicone electrode arrays that contained either 10%, 1%, 0.1%, or 0% levels of micronized DXMb.

Prevention of trauma-induced cochlear fibrosis using intracochlear application of anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative drugs.

Cochlear fibrosis is a common finding following cochlear implantation. Evidence suggests that cochlear fibrosis could be triggered by inflammation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition (EMT). In this study, we investigate the mechanisms of cochlear fibrosis and the risk/benefit ratio of local administration of the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone (DEX) and antimitotic drug aracytine (Ara-C).