A European perspective on auditory processing disorder-current knowledge and future research focus

Current notions of \u201chearing impairment,\u201d as reflected in clinical audiological practice, do not acknowledge the needs of individuals who have normal hearing pure tone sensitivity but who experience auditory processing difficulties in everyday life that are indexed by reduced performance in other more sophisticated audiometric tests such as speech audiometry in noise or complex non-speech sound perception. This disorder, defined as \u201cAuditory Processing Disorder\u201d (APD) or \u201cCentral Auditory Processing Disorder\u201d is classified in the current tenth version of the International Classification of diseases as H93.25 and in the forthcoming beta eleventh version. APDs may have detrimental effects on the affected individual, with low esteem, anxiety, and depression, and symptoms may remain into adulthood. These disorders may interfere with learning per se and with communication, social, emotional, and academic-work aspects of life. The objective of the present paper is to define a baseline European APD consensus formulated by experienced clinicians and researchers in this specific field of human auditory science. A secondary aim is to identify issues that future research needs to address in order to further clarify the nature of APD and thus assist in optimumdiagnosis and evidence-based management. This European consensus presents the main symptoms, conditions, and specific medical history elements that should lead to auditory processing evaluation. Consensus on definition of the disorder, optimum diagnostic pathway, and appropriate management are highlighted alongside a perspective on future research focus

Discrimination de la parole et intelligibilité vocale: évaluation d'enfants sourds porteurs de prothèses conventionnelles ou cochléaires

We retrospectively studied outcome of a sample of 36 congenitally deaf children who were fitted with either a conventional hearing aid or a cochlear implant and who received many years of audio-phonatory training.To rate auditory capacity and speech intelligibility, we used commonly used metrics: CAP and SIR. At the end of the 5-Years period, CAP and SIR scores of cochlear implant children are significantly higher than those of conventional hearing aid children. This study is one of few that evaluates outcome of conventional hearing aid and cochlear implant fitting with age matched congenitally deaf children anno 2000

A quantitative and qualitative assessment of verbal short-term memory and phonological processing in 8-year-olds with a history of repetitive otitis media

Language outcome in children experiencing fluctuant hearing loss due to otitis media (OME) remains highly equivocal. In the current study, we assessed performance on highly sensitive verbal short-term memory (STM), new word learning and phonological processing tasks in 8-year-old children who had suffered from recurrent OME before the age of 3. Relative to a control group with no history of OME, we observed strictly normal performance for different STM and new word learning tasks. Performance on these tasks was also normally influenced by phonotactic, lexical and semantic variables. However, at the level of phonological processing, a small but significant decrease of performance was found in a speeded nonword identification task and a rhyme judgment task. The results of this study suggest that outcome of OME is characterized by subtle impairments at the level of perceptual-phonological analysis, but there is no significant impact on verbal STM and new word learning abilities. Learning outcomes: As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to (1) explain the outcome of recurrent OME before age 3 on later language and verbal STM development, (2) be aware of the complex relationships that link language development and verbal STM, (3) explain how fluctuant hearing loss during infancy and early childhood could affect verbal STM development and learning capacity for new phonological information, (4) describe different verbal STM measures that distinguish retention capacities for phonological and lexico-semantic information, and (5) explain the influence of phonotactic frequency on nonword processing in language and verbal STM tasks. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Skull base reconstruction with pedicled nasoseptal flap: Technique, indications, and limitations

Endoscopic skull base surgery allows extensive tumor resection but results in large defects requiring robust dural repair. The vascularized nasal septal flap pedicled on the posterior nasal septal artery is known to have an excellent success rate for dural defect coverage. Detailed step-by-step descriptions of the harvest and placement of this flap are scarce. Using a sketch, images, and a video, we describe a detailed method for endoscopically harvesting and placing a nasoseptal flap (NSF). We also describe the indications and the decision process leading to the use of NSF. © 2018 The Author

Audiometric results after stapedotomy operations in patients with otosclerosis and preoperative small air-bone gaps

Objectives: The efficacy of stapedotomies performed on patients with small air-bone gaps (<25 dB, sABG) was compared to the efficacy of the operation in patients who had otosclerosis with high air-bone gaps (≥25 dB, hABG). Methods: This retrospective study evaluates the short-term postoperative air and bone conduction thresholds and air-bone gaps after 181 CO2 laser stapedotomies. Results: A significantly smaller air-bone gap (ABG) and lower air conduction thresholds after surgery were observed in the group of patients who underwent surgery with preoperative ABGs of less than 25 dB. Bone conduction thresholds improve in sABG group after surgery. Conclusions: The results after stapedotomies are good even if the preoperative air-bone gap is small and that the overall risk of hearing deterioration due to stapes surgery remains low