Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most common diseases, accounting for about 90% of all hearing loss. Leading causes of SNHL include advanced age, ototoxic medications, noise exposure, inherited and autoimmune disorders. Most of SNHL is irreversible and managed with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Although there is increased understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of SNHL, biologic treatment options are limited due to lack of noninvasive targeted delivery systems. Obstacles of targeted inner ear delivery include anatomic inaccessibility, biotherapeutic instability, and nonspecific delivery. Advances in nanotechnology may provide a solution to these barriers. Nanoparticles can stabilize and carry biomaterials across the round window membrane into the inner ear, and ligand bioconjugation onto nanoparticle surfaces allows for specific targeting. A newer technology, nanohydrogel, may offer noninvasive and sustained biotherapeutic delivery into specific inner ear cells. Nanohydrogel may be used for inner ear dialysis, a potential treatment for ototoxicity-induced SNHL.

No abstract

This multi-institutional study confirms that while pediatric ESS is largely safe, urgent/emergent procedures carry the greatest risk of postoperative adverse events, and black children are significantly more likely to undergo higher acuity surgery than white children. Regardless of procedure acuity, young age and bleeding disorder are associated with higher risk of 30-day adverse events.

IgG4-RD of bilateral temporal bones presents with chronic and progressive bilateral hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. Clinical presentation and radiologic findings are nonspecific, and definitive diagnosis must be made with histopathology and immunostaining. Corticosteroids are therapeutic, but surgical resection may be necessary for temporal bone IgG4-RD to improve long-term remission.