Ricerc@Sapienza

Cogan's syndrome (CS) is a rare disorder characterized by nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitis (IK) and audio-vestibular symptoms. CS affects mainly young Caucasian adults, mostly during their first three decades of age, and may develop into typical and atypical variants.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and performance of three novel vibroplasty couplers that allow attachment of the floating mass transducer of a transcutaneous active middle ear implant (AMEI) to the round window (RW) membrane, the long process (LP), or the incus body and the short process (SP) of the incus.

The objective of this study was to review our current knowledge relative to the correlation between sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and autoimmune diseases, focusing on the prevalence of hearing loss in different pathologies and possible therapeutic approaches. A review of the literature on hearing loss in different forms of autoimmune disease has been carried out, with emphasis on incidence and prevalence of SNHL. Therapeutic protocols have been assessed including both conservative medical and rehabilitative methods. Cochlear implant outcomes have been investigated.

Purpose: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) has similarities to conditions with vascular etiologies such as myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke. Thus, it could be considered as an early sign of a vascular disease and not only a specific local condition. Chronic hypoperfusion in the brain districts leads to a chronic ischemic damage, called cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), detectable with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Angioleiomyomas (ALMAs) are benign tumors that arise from smooth muscle cells that form the tunica media of vascular structures. To our knowledge, only five cases of ALMA of the external auditory canal (EAC) have been reported. We report the case of a 52-year-old man with left otalgia, otorrhea, auricular fullness, and hearing loss. On otomicroscopic examination, a reddish and smooth mass completely occluding the EAC was seen. Computed tomography scan showed a soft tissue mass with a complete opacification of the left EAC.

The use of dogs to help people with disabilities has been known for a long time. Assistance dogs carry out a variety of practical tasks for disabled people with appropriate and targeted training, including assisting deaf persons or people with profound hearing loss. The benefits of assistance dogs for persons with hearing impairment (hearing dogs) include a) improved ability to carry out daily tasks through the codified reporting of sounds proper of everyday life and/or of dangerous situations and b) psychosocial aspects such as companionship and sense of protection.

Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), or Horton’s Arteritis, is a chronic form of vasculitis of the large and medium vessels, especially involving the extracranial branches of the carotid arteries, in particular, the temporal artery, with the involvement of the axillary, femoral and iliac arteries too. Arterial wall inflammation leads to luminal occlusion and tissue ischemia, which is responsible for the clinical manifestations of the disease.

Purpose: Specially processed cereals (SPC) that increase endogenous antisecretory factor (AF) synthesis have been proposed to improve symptoms of Meniere’s disease (MD) with controversial results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of SPC in patients with definite unilateral MD and compare the results to a treatment protocol with intravenous glycerol and dexamethasone. Methods: Thirteen patients with unilateral MD were treated with SPC and 13 patients were treated with intravenous glycerol and dexamethasone for 12 months.

Deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) need a supportive family environment to facilitate language development. The present study was designed to assess the effects of parent training (PT) on enhancing children’s communication development. The PT was based on the “It Takes Two to Talk” model, with specific adaptations for families of deaf children. Before and after the PT, 14 participating families and matched no-treatment controls were assessed using the Parent Stress Index and Cole’s interaction checklist.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is currently the most common treatment for small-to medium-size vestibular schwannoma (VS). Despite favorable outcome, hearing deterioration still remains an underestimated problem, and the role of hearing rehabilitation is an underinvestigated topic. Among available technologies, cochlear implant (CI) should represent a valid alternative in sporadic VS with single-sided deafness and in neurofibromatosis (NF2) with bilateral profound hearing loss. A literature review of the current clinical data was performed searching scientific literature databases.