To analyse how the auditory brainstem response changes in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Data were collected via retrospective medical chart review.

Forty-three patients were included in this study. The mean latency of auditory brainstem response wave 1 was significantly longer for the affected side than for the unaffected side (p = 0.003). The mean latency of auditory brainstem response wave 1 was significantly shorter, and the mean amplitude of auditory brainstem response wave 1 was significantly larger, in the good response group compared to the poor response group. In forward conditional logistic regression analysis, auditory brainstem response wave 1 latency was an independent predictor of a good response (odds ratio = 34.37, 95 per cent confidence interval = 1.56–757.15, p = 0.025).

In patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, the latency of wave 1 of the auditory brainstem response was significantly increased and was related to prognosis.

An ancient yoga technique called sutra neti, which is extensively used in India to keep the sinuses healthy, led to complete velopharyngeal stenosis in a 67-year-old male patient who presented with bilateral nasal obstruction, mouth breathing, anosmia and a change in voice.

The patient was diagnosed by nasal endoscopy using a zero-degree Hopkins rod endoscope, and adhesions were released using coblation.

The patient had post-operative alleviation of symptoms and a patent velopharyngeal inlet on examination.

Vigorous sutra neti can lead to velopharyngeal stenosis. Release of the stenosis is then required to cure the nasal blockade.

In order to remove a cholesteatoma in the mastoid under transcanal endoscopic ear surgery, it is necessary to perform transcanal endoscopic mastoidectomy. Bone dust and blood, however, obscure the surgical field. A novel endoscopic hydro-mastoidectomy technique was developed, in which the operator performs the mastoidectomy ‘underwater’ using a lens cleaning system that provides saline perfusion in the surgical space.

A curved round coarse diamond bur is attached to an otological drill. A lens cleaning sheath is fitted to the endoscope. The surgeon controls the infusion of saline solution by stepping on a footswitch of the power console.

Endoscopic hydro-mastoidectomy washes out bone dust and blood from the surgical field, improving the surgical view during mastoidectomy. Additionally, the operator can easily control the flow of saline perfusion.

This technique provides a clear surgical view by washing out bone dust and blood from the surgical area. The setup for endoscopic hydro-mastoidectomy technique is easy and the operator needs only to buy sheaths if they already own the power console, as many otological and rhinological surgeons do.

This case report presents a middle-ear osteoma mimicking otosclerosis that was located at the promontory. The osteoma was successfully excised using an endoscopic transcanal approach without any complication.

A 21-year-old man presented with a 4-year history of progressive conductive hearing loss (47 dB with a 30-dB air–bone gap) with intermittent tinnitus of recent onset in his right ear. Endoscopic transcanal middle-ear exploration showed that an osteoma located on the promontory was restricting the mobility of the stapes by affecting the anterior crus of the stapes. After transcanal resection of the osteoma, pure tone audiometry improved to 23 dB with a 5-dB air–bone gap. Tinnitus resolved spontaneously without any additional treatment.

Promontory osteomas, a rare and usually asymptomatic clinical entity, should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis in patients with progressive conductive hearing loss and tinnitus with intact stapedial reflexes and normal otoscopic findings.

Chronic maxillary atelectasis is a rare and underdiagnosed condition in which there is a persistent and progressive decrease in maxillary sinus volume secondary to inward bowing of the antral walls. Chronic maxillary atelectasis is typically unilateral. Simultaneous bilateral chronic maxillary atelectasis is extremely uncommon.

A retrospective review was performed of patient data collected by the senior clinician over a three-year period (2015–2018). A comprehensive literature search was conducted to locate all documented cases of chronic maxillary atelectasis in English-language literature. Abstracts and full-text articles were reviewed.

Three patients presented with sinonasal symptoms. Imaging findings were consistent with bilateral chronic maxillary atelectasis. The literature review revealed at least nine other cases of bilateral chronic maxillary atelectasis. Management is typically via endoscopic middle meatus antrostomy.

Chronic maxillary atelectasis was initially defined as a unilateral disorder, but this description has been challenged by reports of bilateral cases. Further investigation is required to determine the aetiology and pathophysiology of the disease.