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Item does not contain fulltext OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine the effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus perception in patients with severe bilateral postlingual sensorineural hearing loss and to demonstrate possible differences between unilateral and bilateral cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Thirty-eight adult patients were included in this prospective study, as part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial investigating the benefits of bilateral cochlear implantation versus unilateral cochlear implantation. Pre- and postoperative tinnitus perception scores were evaluated, before and 1 year after implantation on three tinnitus questionnaires; the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), and a visual analogue scale for tinnitus burden. RESULTS: Before implantation, the tinnitus prevalence was 42.1% (16 of 38) in the whole study group. One year after implantation, the tinnitus questionnaire scores had decreased in 71.4% according to the TQ and 80.0% according to the THI. Tinnitus was induced after cochlear implantation in six patients, five in the bilateral and one in the unilateral group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that cochlear implantation is effective in the reduction of tinnitus in patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who suffered from preoperative tinnitus. Conversely, tinnitus may also increase or even be induced by the cochlear implantation itself. Cochlear implant candidates should be well informed about these possible consequences before undergoing surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b Laryngoscope, 126:956-961, 2016.

Objectives/HypothesisTo assess hearing results and complications following primary stapedotomy in otosclerosis patients comparing the use of laser and conventional techniques for fenestration.Study DesignSystematic literature review.MethodsA systematic bibliographic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus. Studies reporting original data on the effect of laser fenestration, compared to conventional techniques, on closure of air-bone gap in patients undergoing primary stapedotomy were included. Directness of evidence and risk of bias of the selected articles were assessed. Studies with low directness of evidence, high risk of bias, or both were not further analyzed. The absolute risks, risk differences, and 95% confidence intervals were extracted only for studies with moderate to high directness of evidence and moderate to low risk of bias.ResultsIn total, 383 unique studies were retrieved. Eight of these (including 999 procedures) provided high or moderate directness of evidence and carried a moderate risk of bias, and were considered eligible for data extraction. The included studies show no consistent difference in postoperative air-bone gap closure or immediate postoperative vertigo.ConclusionsBoth footplate fractures and sensorineural hearing loss appear to occur more frequently in the conventional group than in the laser group. Therefore, we prefer laser above conventional methods for footplate fenestration in primary stapedotomy.

Modifications on the Alternative Method for Cochlea Implantation

Contains fulltext : 97258pub.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the audiometric results of primary stapes surgery in patients with otosclerosis and to determine predictors of a postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) of 10 dB or less and a postoperative gain in air conduction (AC) exceeding 20 dB. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center in Utrecht, the Netherlands. PATIENTS: Nine hundred thirty-nine patients with otosclerosis who underwent primary stapes surgery between January 1, 1982, and March 1, 2009. INTERVENTION: Primary stapes surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative and postoperative audiometric results were compared. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate which factors (ie, sex, age at surgery, bilateral otosclerosis, and preoperative 4-frequency [0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz] ABG, AC, or bone conduction) independently contributed to the prediction of a postoperative ABG of 10 dB or less and a postoperative gain in AC exceeding 20 dB. RESULTS: A total of 72.1% of patients had a postoperative ABG of 10 dB or less, and 93.8% of patients had a postoperative ABG of 20 dB or less. Age at surgery and preoperative ABG and AC were independent prognostic determinants. A patient older than 40 years with a preoperative ABG of 30 dB or less has a 77.6% chance of achieving a postoperative ABG of 10 dB or less. A patient with a preoperative AC exceeding 50 dB and a preoperative ABG exceeding 30 dB has an 86.2% chance of achieving a postoperative gain in AC exceeding 20 dB. CONCLUSIONS: Following primary stapes surgery, a postoperative ABG of 10 dB or less and a postoperative gain in AC exceeding 20 dB may be predicted with accuracies of 62.1% and 80.1%, respectively. Clinicians can use this information to inform patients more explicitly about expected postoperative audiometric results. 01 augustus 2011

Audiometric changes following quinine administration were studied in healthy Caucasian subjects and patients suffering from falciparum malaria disease. Quinine-dihydrochloride was administered intravenously as a single dose of 300 mg to 12 healthy subjects and as multiple doses of 600 mg in 4 h every 8 h in 10 Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients. The hearing function was monitored by conventional and high frequency audiometry. In nine healthy subjects hearing loss was documented at 2-4 h after infusion of Quinine-dihydrochloride at a mean maximal plasma quinine concentration of only 2 mg/l. In one healthy subject a persistent loss occurred of 20 dB at 14 kHz in one ear. In all malaria patients severe hearing losses and adverse effects related to ototoxicity were documented, but all the audiograms had returned to normal after 1 week and side effects disappeared. This study has shown that ototoxicity induced by quinine is almost completely reversible in healthy volunteers and in malaria patients