Active clinical trials for "Hearing Loss"

The goal of this investigation is to generate the needed PMCF data for the HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode. As a point of interest the investigators would like to evaluate the benefit to patients with low-frequency residual hearing implanted with the HiFocus Mid-Scala Electrode. The HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode array is designed to allow surgeons the flexibility to use a variety of contemporary surgical techniques that have been shown to enable easy insertion and to minimize cochlear trauma (see, e.g., Adunka and Buchman, 2007; Friedland and Runge-Samuelson, 2009; Roland et al., 2007). Temporal bone experiments have shown the HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode array to be straightforward to insert while causing minimal trauma to cochlear structures during and after surgery (Lenarz et al., 2010). In addition , the HiFocus Mid-Scala has already shown to be a safe electrode and promising post op clinical results in the premarketing study that is now in the final stage.

The accurate assessment of auditory status is critical for planning treatment for Veterans with hearing loss to include medical and audiological management. Current physiologic tests of auditory function in the standard clinical audiological test battery for Veterans have limited sensitivity in detecting some middle-ear disorders, and do not include a direct test of cochlear function. Recent studies have shown promise for new wide-bandwidth (WB) tests of absorbance for improved sensitivity in the assessment of middle-ear function including acoustic reflex testing. The addition of WB tests of cochlear function included in the WB test battery provides an opportunity to improve audiological diagnosis of a range of hearing disorders in Veterans. The automation provided by the WB test battery could provide additional benefits in reducing the duration of the evaluation, leaving more time for evaluation of test findings and counseling. Results from this study may lead to the improvement of audiological care for Veterans with hearing loss.

The purpose of this study is to show that cochlear implant treatment improves the overall health related quality of life and general well-being in elderly individuals.

The ability to predict post-operative outcomes after implantation is important for a number of reasons, including being able to advise candidates of appropriate expectations using evidence based guidance. The approved study involves investigation of the ability to predict outcomes in the implanted ear alone and in the best-aided binaural listening conditions, examining a number of measured factors both pre-, peri- and post-operatively. The study incorporates a range of functional outcome measures through questionnaires to ascertain social, functional and demographic factors that may be predictive of outcomes. Questionnaires are also administered to determine the degree of benefit obtained after implantation for each individual, since this forms a key component of providing pre-operative counselling to candidates.

Background: Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug. It is used to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and other cancers. It can cause hearing loss for some people. It is not known how many people will get hearing loss from cisplatin. It is also not known what other factors might influence who gets hearing loss. Factors could include age, sex, noise exposure, and other drugs the person is taking. Statins are drugs used to lower cholesterol. Statins may also reduce cisplatin-induced hearing loss. Objectives: To see if statins reduce hearing loss in people getting cisplatin therapy to treat HNSCC. To find out how many people taking cisplatin get hearing loss from it. To find out if other factors might influence whether cisplatin causes hearing loss. Eligibility: People ages 18 and older who are getting treatment with cisplatin for HNSCC Design: Participants will be screened with a review of their medical records. Participants will have 3 visits. These will be before the onset of cisplatin therapy, at about 4 weeks after they finish therapy, and about 6 months after they finish therapy. Each visit will include: Medication history Audiogram/hearing tests. Participants will wear headphones and indicate when they hear different sounds. Questions about their noise exposure history and whether they have ringing in the ears

As part of the proposed work, the investigators would like to examine whether there is a need to use a training video to train IDF combat soldiers to improve the use of ear plugs and to prevent hearing loss from exposure to noise, and to characterize the hearing impaired epidemiology of recruits and the basic rate of hearing loss During basic training.

Insertion of electrode array in scala vestibuli, rather than the preferred location within scala tympani, leads to loss of native hearing in those patients with isolated high-frequency hearing loss undergoing cochlear implantation.

The human brain is made up of two halves called hemispheres. Each half of the brain is responsible for processing different kinds of information. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that both the right and left hemispheres are involved when processing information given in American Sign Language (ASL). However, the study also showed that when processing spoken language, the left hemisphere was mostly involved. Researchers would like to find out more about how the brain processes American Sign Language (ASL). This study is designed to determine if the right hemisphere is necessary for normal understanding of ASL.

Find a personal sound amplification device that can help people hear better.

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) refers to idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss of at least 30 dB over at least three test frequencies occurring over a 72-hour period. Vertigo has been considered a risk factor of poor prognosis in patients with ISSNHL. However, the clinical outcome and development of vestibular function in these patients have not been reported yet. We'd like to conduct a study on the problem whether these patients resulted in a complete recovery of the peripheral vestibular functions or compensation of the central vestibular system. If the answer is the former one, these cases might be supportive evidence of regeneration of hair cells in vestibular disorders.