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.

Genetic and behavioral link found between musicality and language skills

In a paper published in Nature Communications, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery leveraged two main studies - one focused on behavior and one focused on genetics - to highlight the correlation between participants' musical rhythm abilities and developmental speech-language disorders.

3 Oct 2025

Doctors with troubled pasts are performing cosmetic surgeries tied to crippling pain and injury

Not long after California surgeon Andrew S. Hsu landed a job with a cosmetic surgery chain in Georgia, several of his patients suffered disfiguring injuries, and even his new employer had doubts about his competence, court records allege.

30 Sep 2025

Study highlights menopause-related vocal changes in women

A new University of South Florida study published in Menopause highlights a largely overlooked health issue: voice changes that many women experience during menopause, often triggered by falling levels of estrogen and progesterone.

10 Sep 2025

HPV16 reprograms immune cells to weaken cancer defenses

The most common cancer-causing strain of human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV16, undermines the body's defenses by reprogramming immune cells surrounding the tumor, according to new research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

19 Aug 2025

Gene editing restores hearing and balance in adult mice with DFNA41 deafness

Zheng-Yi Chen, DPhil, associate scientist at the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, and Ines and Fredrick Yeatts Chair in Otolaryngology, at Mass Eye and Ear, is the senior and co-corresponding author of a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, "Single Dose Genome Editing Therapy Rescues Auditory and Vestibular Functions in Adult Mice with DFNA41 Deafness."

14 Aug 2025

Most Americans unaware that HPV causes multiple types of cancer

The human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause six types of cancer.

14 Aug 2025

OU researchers explore how cannabis use affects recovery after head and neck cancer surgery

University of Oklahoma researchers are conducting a first-of-its-kind study to determine whether cannabis use affects recovery from the wounds associated with head and neck cancer surgery. The outcomes may have implications for other types of surgery and conditions.

12 Aug 2025

Hypoglossal nerve stimulator shows promise for treating sleep apnea in children with Down syndrome

Sleep apnea, or difficulty breathing at night, is common among children with Down syndrome-affecting up to 80% compared to just 5% of the general pediatric population.

5 Aug 2025

Updated guideline aims to identify quality improvement opportunities in managing adult sinusitis

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) published the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG): Adult Sinusitis Update today in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

31 Jul 2025

Synergistic effects of radiation and immunotherapy boost anti-tumor immunity

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a group of cancers that affect cells in and around our mouth and nose.

29 Jul 2025

New imaging tool measures inner ear fluid to assess hearing loss

Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a tool routinely used to diagnose and plan treatment for eye diseases, has now been modified to collect images of the inner ear.

23 Jul 2025

Breakthrough gene therapy reverses genetic deafness across age groups

Using gene therapy to treat hereditary deafness is safe and effective in both children and adults, according to new findings from a multicenter clinical trial.

22 Jul 2025

Fluorescent-guided nerve imaging agent shows promise for use in humans

For the first time, a fluorescent-guided nerve imaging agent shows promise for use in humans, according to a paper published in Nature Communications.

9 Jul 2025

Hearing aids and cochlear implants improve social lives of adults with hearing loss

Hearing loss doesn't just affect how people hear the world - it can also change how they connect with it.

4 Jul 2025

New imaging breakthrough sheds light on brain communication pathways

For the first time, scientists using cryo-electron microscopy have discovered the structure and shape of key receptors connecting neurons in the brain's cerebellum, which is located behind the brainstem and plays a critical role in functions such as coordinating movement, balance and cognition.

23 Jun 2025

FDA approval of pembrolizumab marks major shift in head and neck cancer treatment

Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1 [Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥1] as determined by an FDA-approved test.

15 Jun 2025

New clinical practice guideline advances surgical care for chronic rhinosinusitis

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) published the new Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG): Surgical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis today in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

27 May 2025

New blood test detects HPV-linked head and neck cancer with unmatched accuracy

A new liquid biopsy blood test could help detect cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancers with significantly higher accuracy than currently used methods, including before patients develop symptoms, according to new Mass General Brigham research.

20 May 2025

New auditory brainstem implant shows promise for patients with Neurofibromatosis type 2

A new study co-led by Mass General Brigham researchers points to a promising new type of auditory brainstem implant (ABI) that could benefit people who are deaf due to Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and other severe inner ear abnormalities that prevent them from receiving cochlear implants.

16 May 2025

Hearing aids may help older adults combat social isolation

Providing hearing aids and advice on their use may preserve social connections that often wane as we age, a new study shows.

12 May 2025