Auditory impairment stands as a pervasive global issue, exerting significant effects on individuals\' daily functioning and interpersonal engagements. Cochlear implants (CIs) have risen as a cutting-edge solution for severe to profound hearing loss, directly stimulating the auditory nerve with electrical signals. The success of CI procedures hinges on precise pre-operative planning and post-operative evaluation, highlighting the significance of advanced three-dimensional (3D) inner ear reconstruction software. Accurate pre-operative imaging is vital for identifying anatomical landmarks and assessing cochlear deformities. Tools like 3D Slicer, Amira and OTOPLAN provide detailed depictions of cochlear anatomy, aiding surgeons in simulating implantation scenarios and refining surgical approaches. Post-operative scans play a crucial role in detecting complications and ensuring CI longevity. Despite technological advancements, challenges such as standardization and optimization persist. This review explores the role of 3D inner ear reconstruction software in patient selection, surgical planning, and post-operative assessment, tracing its evolution and emphasizing features like image segmentation and virtual simulation. It addresses software limitations and proposes solutions, advocating for their integration into clinical practice. Ultimately, this review underscores the impact of 3D inner ear reconstruction software on cochlear implantation, connecting innovation with precision medicine.

Objective: To analyze the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of unexplained conductive hearing loss (UCHL) with intact tympanic membrane. Methods: A systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 642 articles were retrieved from databases such as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Fifty-four research articles and 21 case reports were screened out according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria for analysis of the etiology of UCHL. Seven research articles with UCHL who underwent exploratory tympanotomy were selected for data extraction and analysis of clinical characteristics. Results: UCHL is a common manifestation of various diseases, including congenital ossicular anomalies (COA), otosclerosis (OTS), congenital middle ear cholesteatoma (CMEC), oval window atresia, superior semicircular-canal dehiscence, congenital stapedial footplate fixation, middle ear osteoma or adenoma, congenital ossification of stapedial tendon, and so on. A total of 522 patients were included in the 7 articles; among whom OTS showed a tendency to increase with age. The main symptoms were hearing loss, followed by tinnitus, dizziness, ear fullness, ear pain, facial paralysis. A total of 87.5% to 93.0% patients with COA manifested as nonprogressive deafness that occurred since childhood, with tinnitus incidence of 15.6% to 30.2%, and 86.4% to 96.4% patients with OTS presented with progressive hearing loss, with tinnitus incidence of 60.1% to 90.9%. The diagnosis positive rate of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was 33.8% to 87.1%, and CMEC was higher than that of COA (83.3%-100% vs 28.6%-64%). All the articles reported good hearing recovery. The most common surgical complications included taste abnormalities, tinnitus, and dizziness. Conclusion: UCHL presents with similar clinical manifestations and poses challenges in preoperative diagnosis. Exploratory tympanotomy is the primary method for diagnosis and treatment, with good prognosis after removing the lesion and reconstructing hearing during the operation. Children can also safely undergo the surgery.

Cochlear implants are crucial for addressing severe-to-profound hearing loss, with the success of the procedure requiring careful electrode placement. This scoping review synthesizes the findings from 125 studies examining the factors influencing insertion forces (IFs) and intracochlear pressure (IP), which are crucial for optimizing implantation techniques and enhancing patient outcomes. The review highlights the impact of variables, including insertion depth, speed, and the use of robotic assistance on IFs and IP. Results indicate that higher insertion speeds generally increase IFs and IP in artificial models, a pattern not consistently observed in cadaveric studies due to variations in methodology and sample size. The study also explores the observed minimal impact of robotic assistance on reducing IFs compared to manual methods. Importantly, this review underscores the need for a standardized approach in cochlear implant research to address inconsistencies and improve clinical practices aimed at preserving hearing during implantation.

This review aimed to determine the incidence of complications associated with cochlear implants (CI) in Saudi Arabia. We systematically searched PubMed, AIRE, OaIster, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals, Scopus, and Ovid from inception to January 2024. The review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42023486687). Studies that reported CI complications in Saudi Arabia were included. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A total of 17 articles with 2216 patients were included. The most common intraoperative complication was cerebrospinal fluid leakage (23 patients, 0.99%), followed by surgical difficulties (six patients, 0.26%), and dural accidental exposure and bleeding (three patients, 0.13%); the most common postoperative complications were vestibular symptoms (20 patients, 0.86%), followed by infection (17 patients, 0.73%), and device malfunction or migration (12 patients, 0.52%). The total complication rate ranged from 4-13%. Most of the included studies had a low risk. CI in Saudi Arabia has a complication rate similar to that reported in international studies. This review emphasizes the need for continued surveillance of CI outcomes to optimize procedural techniques and improve the safety and efficacy of CI in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: Misplacement of electrode arrays in the internal auditory canal (IAC) presents a unique clinical challenge. Speech recognition is limited for cochlear implant (CI) users with misplaced arrays, and there are risks with revision surgery including facial and/or cochlear nerve injury.
UNASSIGNED: PubMed, Embase, and Scopus.
METHODS: A literature search was performed from inception to September 2023. The search terms were designed to capture articles on misplaced arrays and the management options. Articles written in English that described cases of array misplacement into the IAC for children and adults were included. The level of evidence was assessed using Oxford Center for Evidence Based Medicine guidelines. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed.
RESULTS: Twenty-eight cases of arrays misplaced in the IAC were identified. Thirteen (46%) were patients with incomplete partition type 3 (IP3), and 7 (25%) were patients with common cavity (CC) malformations. Most misplaced arrays were identified postoperatively (19 cases; 68%). Of these cases, 11 (58%) were managed with array removal. No facial nerve injuries were reported with revision surgery. Eight cases (42%) were left in place. Several underwent mapping procedures in an attempt improve the sound quality with the CI.
CONCLUSIONS: Electrode array misplacement in the IAC is a rare complication that reportedly occurs predominately in cases with IP3 and CC malformations. Removal of misplaced arrays from the IAC reportedly has not been associated with facial nerve injuries. Cases identified with IAC misplacement postoperatively can potentially be managed with modified mapping techniques before proceeding with revision surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of device failure for those cochlear implants (CIs) involved in the 2020 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voluntary field corrective action (VFCA).
UNASSIGNED: Medline, Embase, and Scopus.
METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. Publications reporting institutional experiences with implants affected by the VFCA were included. Outcomes assessed included etiology of, rate of, and time to failure and pre-/post-device failure speech perception testing. All outcomes reported in at least two independent studies were included in a meta-analysis.
RESULTS: Six studies met criteria for analysis. The overall pooled failure rate was 23.7% (95% CI, 11.6-38.4%). The pooled device, inconclusive, and medical failure rates were 21.5%, 0.2%, and 0.7%, respectively. Pediatric failure rates were higher than those of adults (46.9% [95% CI, 11.2-84.5%] versus 32.6% [95% CI, 8.2-63.7%]). WRS declined with primary implant failure (55.1% [95% CI, 48.0-62.1%] to 34.1% [95% CI, 30.2-38.0%]) but improved after reimplantation (34.1% [95% CI, 30.2-38.0%] to 50.1% [95% CI, 45.2-55.1%]).
CONCLUSIONS: The rate of pooled reported failure for CIs falling under the 2020 VFCA in the literature thus far is 23.7%. The overwhelming majority of these failures were device related, the rates of which were higher in children. Speech perception improved significantly after reimplantation.

UNASSIGNED: To establish audiological and other outcomes following cochlear implantation in humans and animals with eluting electrodes.
UNASSIGNED: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. Databases searched (April 2023): MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Web of Science. Studies reporting outcomes in either humans or animals following cochlear implantation with a drug-eluting electrode were included. No limits were placed on language or year of publication. Risk of bias assessment was performed on all included studies using either the Brazzelli or Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) assessment tools. The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement.
UNASSIGNED: Searches identified 146 abstracts and 108 full texts. Of these, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria, reporting outcomes in 523 animals (17 studies) and 24 humans (1 study). Eluting electrodes included dexamethasone (16 studies), aracytine (1 study), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (1 study), the growth factors insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (1 study), and neurotrophin-3 (1 study). All included studies compare outcomes following implantation with an eluting electrode with a control non-eluting electrode. In the majority of studies, audiological outcomes (e.g., auditory brainstem response threshold) were superior following implantation with an eluting electrode compared with a standard electrode. Most studies which investigated post-implantation impedance reported lower impedance following implantation with an eluting electrode. The influence of eluting electrodes on other reported outcomes (including post-implantation cochlear fibrosis and the survival of hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons) was more varied across the included studies.
UNASSIGNED: Eluting electrodes have shown promise in animal studies in preserving residual hearing following cochlear implantation and in reducing impedance, though data from human studies remain lacking. Further in-human studies will be required to determine the clinical usefulness of drug-eluting cochlear implants as a future treatment for sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and evaluate the evidence for the benefits of cochlear implants for people with cognitive impairment or dementia in terms of speech recognition, quality of life, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, cognition, function in daily life, mental well-being, and caregiver burden.
METHODS: Ten electronic databases were searched systematically from inception to December 2023 for studies reporting on outcomes for cochlear implants that included adults identified with cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia.
RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included in this review with a combined total of 222 cochlear implant patients with cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment. Two studies were non-randomised controlled design, the remainder were single group studies, case series or single case studies. Evidence suggested that people with cognitive impairment benefit in terms of improved speech recognition from cochlear implants, although they may benefit less than those with healthy cognition and the degree of benefit depends on the level of cognitive impairment. There was no evidence for increased adverse events among those with cognitive impairment. There was limited or no evidence for any other outcome.
CONCLUSIONS: People with cognitive impairment or dementia do benefit from cochlear implants. To inform policy and clinical practice, further data are needed about the broader benefits of cochlear implants for people with cognitive impairment or dementia, and referral, eligibility, and cochlear implant support needs for people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers.

OBJECTIVE: Revision stapes surgery is a challenging procedure performed in relatively small numbers compared to other middle ear procedures. Despite numerous data on hearing results of different middle ear surgeries, the audiological standards for successful outcome of this procedure are still not clarified. On the basis of well-documented data, we wanted to determine what the expected audiological results and complications are after revision stapes surgery in order to set a realistic threshold for surgical success.
METHODS: After the protocol registration in the PROSPERO database, a systematic review was performed in multiple databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceOpen, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar) according to PRISMA guidelines. Twelve articles were reviewed according to the inclusion criteria. A total of 1032 cases were obtained for evaluation. A modified version of Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess publication quality.
RESULTS: Average air-bone gap (ABG) gain was 17.3 dB, average air conduction (AC) gain was 17.5 dB. The average postoperative air-bone gap was 11.1 dB. The postoperative ABG distribution was the following 0-10 dB: 53.3%, > 10-20 dB: 28.2%, > 20 dB: 18.5%. SNHL as a surgical complication was described in a total of 17 cases (1.6%), no equilibrium disorder was reported.
CONCLUSIONS: The pooled data suggest that revision stapes surgery is an effective solution after failure of previous stapes surgery. However, the results are clearly inferior to those of primary stapedotomies. Hence, we need to apply different expectations and use different standards in the indication and evaluation of this type of surgery.

Labyrinthitis ossificans is the formation of pathological new bone within the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear due to various local and systemic pathologies. Most commonly it occurs as a sequelae of meningitis spreading to the labyrinth, from the subarachnoid space via the cochlear aqueduct and the internal auditory canal. We are comparing three different etiological presentations of labyrinthitis ossificans; namely, tympanogenic, meningitic, and traumatic, together with their management in the light of recent advances.