Otolaryngology News and Research

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The medical discipline and practice of otolaryngology is a specialty that addresses conditions of the ears, nose, and throat. Another name for this practice is otolaryngology head and neck surgery.

First smart wearable device tracks how much people use their voices

Northwestern University researchers have developed the first smart wearable device to continuously track how much people use their voices, alerting them to overuse before vocal fatigue and potential injury set in.

22 Feb 2023

Mongolian gerbil with an ear structure could help better understand a type of “third window syndrome”

To patients of P. Ashley Wackym, a surgical otologist-neurotologist at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, a diagnosis of superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) can feel like a death sentence.

17 Feb 2023

OHSU researchers confirm first-ever nonhuman primate model of Usher syndrome

Those with Usher Syndrome -- the leading hereditary cause for simultaneous deafness and blindness, for which there is no treatment -- may have a new reason for hope now that researchers have confirmed the first-ever nonhuman primate model of their disease.

13 Feb 2023

Genomic screening can facilitate early detection of thyroid cancer in patients with RET gene variants

Population-based genomic screening can facilitate early detection of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in patients with variants in the RET gene, a new Geisinger study found.

25 Jan 2023

Long-term, COVID-19-related smell loss could be treated using injections of platelet-rich plasma

Early in the pandemic, when people with COVID-19 began reporting that they lost their sense of smell, Zara Patel, MD, figured as much. A professor of otolaryngology at Stanford Medicine, Patel has, for years, studied loss of smell as a symptom of viral infections.

19 Jan 2023

Brief tele-cognitive behavioral therapy for head and neck cancer survivors with body-image distress shows promising results

Talking, smiling, eating together – these are all social activities that are inherent to the human experience. But for some head and neck cancer survivors, they are dreaded tasks.

6 Jan 2023

Does bimodal visual-olfactory training with patient-preferred scents improve olfaction in individuals with COVID-19 postviral olfactory loss?

Researchers investigated whether using patient-preferred scents and a bimodal method of visual-olfactory training is more effective than unimodal olfactory training using scents assigned by physicians in treating patients experiencing anosmia after COVID-19.

5 Jan 2023

Applicant numbers remain unchanged even after significant increase in plastic surgery residency positions

Historically plastic surgery has been considered one of most competitive and highly sought after residency programs.

30 Dec 2022

Improving neuroplasticity hastens hearing among cochlear implant recipients

Kick-starting the brain's natural ability to adjust to new circumstances, known as neuroplasticity, improves how effectively a cochlear implant can restore hearing loss, a new study in deaf rats shows.

21 Dec 2022

Study reveals biological mechanism to explain why respiratory viruses spike in colder seasons

Researchers at Mass Eye and Ear and Northeastern University have discovered a previously unidentified immune response inside the nose that fights off viruses responsible for upper respiratory infections.

7 Dec 2022

Newly identified genetic mutation may be a root cause of severe childhood glaucoma

An international team of scientists led by Mass Eye and Ear, a member of Mass General Brigham, and Boston Children's Hospital, has discovered a new genetic mutation that may be a root cause of severe cases of childhood glaucoma, a devastating condition that runs in families and can rob children of their vision by 3 years of age.

1 Dec 2022

Novel nasal cleansing system increases comfort and compliance in sleep apnea patients using CPAP

A novel nasal cleansing system (NasoClenzTM, Silicon Valley Innovations, Sunnyvale, CA) reduced bacterial colonization while increasing comfort and compliance in patients that use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat sleep apnea, according to results of a clinical evaluation recently presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress.

3 Nov 2022

Experts emphasize the need to understand the strengths and limitations of ctHPV DNA testing

Oropharynx cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) have risen dramatically over the years, superseding tobacco use and heavy drinking as the primary driver of new cases. Fortunately, HPV-positive oropharynx cancers have an improved survival rate compared to other head and neck cancers, allowing for less intensive treatment options, especially if diagnosed at early stages.

1 Nov 2022

Infants' innateness for tuning in to musical rhythms is intertwined with early social engagement

Engaging infants with a song provides a readymade means for supporting social development and interaction, according to a study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

31 Oct 2022

New hearing screening system for newborns uses a smartphone and low-cost earbuds

Newborns across the United States are screened to check for hearing loss. This test is important because it helps families better understand their child's health, but it's often not accessible to children in other countries because the screening device is expensive.

31 Oct 2022

Scientific Grand Prize awarded to renowned hearing loss researcher

M. Charles Liberman, PhD, whose research forever changed the way experts understand the underlying causes of hearing loss, has been awarded the Scientific Grand Prize from the France-based La Fondation Pour l'Audition.

21 Oct 2022

Study identifies potential therapeutic targets for preventing aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss

Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are developing new ways to study why an antibiotic causes hair cell death and permanent hearing loss in people.

27 Sep 2022

Study identifies common genetic variants associated with musical beat synchronization

The first large-scale genomic study of musicality -; published on the cover of today's Nature Human Behaviour -; identified 69 genetic variants associated with beat synchronization, meaning the ability to move in synchrony with the beat of music.

19 Sep 2022

Father of modern corneal science honored with the 2022 António Champalimaud Vision Award

Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, whose pioneering research at Mass Eye and Ear and in the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School (HMS) has forever changed the way conditions of the cornea are understood and treated, has been presented with the 2022 António Champalimaud Vision Award for his vast contributions to vision research.

15 Sep 2022

Neisseria species are linked to worsening bronchiectasis in patients, study shows

A team of international scientists led by the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has discovered that Neisseria - a genus of bacteria that lives in the human body - is not as harmless as previously thought, and can cause infections in patients with bronchiectasis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

14 Sep 2022