Hearing Loss

Hearing loss represents one of the most wide-ranging disabilities, affecting more than 5% of the world's population. Different types of hearing loss, including conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, may lead to serious hearing impairments in children and adults. Multiple causes may be involved in the aetiopathogenesis of hearing loss, depending on the different biologic mechanisms, including congenital, autoimmune, and genetic factors. Diagnosis and management continue to be a challenge for hearing disorders such as chronic otitis media, otosclerosis, cholesteatoma, congenital or acquired sensorineural hearing loss, sudden sensorineural or metabolic hearing loss, and otogenic facial palsy. Electrophysiology and neuroscience approaches are needed in order to better elucidate the diagnostic dilemmas in the field of otology and neurotology. Neuroimaging is also welcoming the inclusion of temporal bone and cochlear malformations. In our Reprint, new treatment options will be discussed to improve potential methods of hearing restoration and new surgical approaches and techniques will be described in order to better manage different outer-middle-inner ear pathologies.