Pediatric and adult cochlear implants - an overview of clinical indications for cochlear implants, the multidisciplinary team based at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI), minimally invasive surgery, titanium screw fixation techniques to avoid tie down holes (especially when the skull is thin in patients 12 months of age or less), basic overview of CI surgery, and what to expect following surgery.

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Meningitis and cochlear implants - although a rare occurrence following CI surgery, it is important that all patients, pediatric and adult, receive the correct PNEUMOCOCCAL vaccine.

Download our letter to patients that describes the appropriate vaccine for CI patients and candidates.

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Legislation to improve coverage of pediatric cochlear implant services - State Senator James Eldridge (Massachusetts) - Bill No. 3855 is an Act to provide health insurance coverage for cochlear implants in children and was filed on 1/25/2008. Please contact your legislator in support of this important piece of legislation to help deaf infants and children of the Commonwealth receive cochlear implant services.

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NIH study: idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) multicenter treatment trial - We are now recruiting adult candidates with sudden single-sided deafness within TWO WEEKS of symptoms in this controlled, randomized clinical trial to compare high dose oral steroids with intratympanic steroid injections for SSNHL. This study is based at MEEI-Harvard and includes 15 additional centers in the U.S. and Canada.

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save the date!: April 15-18, 2009 - PAWS otology and neurotology surgery course - guest lecturers include John House MD and Vittorio Colletti MD - This is an ear surgery / temporal bone course with whole skull dissection, and will take place at the Practical Anatomy & Surgical Education, Center for Anatomical Science and Education, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. Both basic otologic (April 15 and 16) and advanced otologic and neurotologic (April 17 and 18) surgical topics will be covered. General otolaryngologists, pediatric otolaryngologists, otologists, and neurotologists are welcome. Course Directors: Anthony Mikulec MD and Daniel Lee MD.

download the flyer here

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superior semicircular canal dehiscence / superior canal dehiscence syndrome - known as Minor syndrome, superior canal dehiscence is a middle fossa skull base defect involving one of the vestibular (balance) organs. Specifically, a tiny hole in the superior (also known as anterior semicircular canal) in one or both ears can cause hearing loss AND/OR imbalance / dizziness, fullness of the involved ear and autophony (echo during self-vocalization). Superior canal dehiscence (SSCD or SCDS) can result in many symptoms that resemble more common disorders of hearing loss and imbalance like otosclerosis, Eustachian tube dysfunction, patulous Eustachian tube, Menieres disease or BPPV.

Case 1 - 27 year old woman with left SCDS (video)

Case 2 - 39 year old woman with left SCDS (video)

Case 3 - 48 year old man with left SCDS and meningoencephalocele

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research presentations

diverse synaptic terminals on stapedius motoneurons: 2007 ARO MidWinter Meeting, Denver, CO. (pdf file)

transneuronal analysis of the rat middle ear muscle reflex pathways using pseudorabies virus: 2007 ARO MidWinter Meeting, Denver, CO. (pdf file)

clinical outcomes in adult bilateral cochlear implantation: CI2006 International Cochlear Implant Meeting, Vienna, Austria. (pdf file)

cochlear nucleus interneurons of the middle ear muscle reflex pathways: 2006 ARO MidWinter Meeting, Baltimore, MD. (pdf file)

central auditory pathways of the acoustic reflex: The 2005 ARO MidWinter Meeting, New Orleans, LA. (pdf file)

reflex interneurons of the cochlear nucleus: The 2004 ARO MidWinter Meeting, Daytona Beach, FL. (pdf file)

intratympanic vs. oral steroids for sudden SNHL: The 2004 AAA Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah. (pdf file)