Expert consensus on a novel classification system, surgical management strategies, and prognostic evaluation for congenital ossicular chain malformations based on stapes footplate mobility and suprastructural integrity (2026 edition)

Surgeons treating congenital ossicular chain malformations should note this consensus classification, but adoption should be weighed against existing systems; expert consensus (Level 5 evidence) warrants prospective validation before broad implementation.

Efficacy of stapes prosthesis surgery for congenital stapes fixation or oval window atresia in pediatric patients

Stapes prosthesis surgery appears effective for congenital stapes fixation and oval window atresia in paediatric patients, but the retrospective design limits causal conclusions; outcomes data can inform counselling until prospective evidence is available.

Classification and surgical outcomes of congenital middle ear malformations with concomitant facial nerve anomalies

Surgeons managing congenital middle ear malformations should be aware that concurrent facial nerve anomalies require careful pre-operative classification to guide surgical planning and reduce nerve injury risk; however, without access to the full data, specific protocol changes...

Individuals with near-normal audiograms but perceived hearing difficulties can achieve aided outcomes on par with those of peers with mild hearing loss

Audiologists should consider fitting hearing aids for patients with near-normal audiograms who report significant hearing difficulty, as aided outcomes can match those of patients with confirmed mild hearing loss.

A VIEW FROM THE CLINIC – interview Priya Carling

Practitioner interviews like this offer peer-level perspective on managing older patient populations and navigating the dual NHS/private landscape in UK audiology, which may inform service design thinking.

The Oldest Old in a thoughtful audiology magazine

As populations age globally, the oldest-old are the fastest-growing audiology demographic, and the field must develop tailored protocols to address their compounded clinical, cognitive, and social needs.

Speech Data for Improved Audiological Evaluation in the Romani Language

Audiologists serving Romani-speaking populations in Slovakia now have a validated set of speech materials for testing; no practice change is warranted outside this specific linguistic context.

Pre-Stimulus Head Position and Its Effect on Sound Localization Metrics in Children

Clinicians conducting sound localization testing in children should standardize and record pre-stimulus head position, as it measurably influences localization accuracy metrics.

Effects of Hearing Intervention on Cognitive Function in Patients with Presbycusis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis provides the strongest available evidence that hearing intervention positively impacts cognitive function in older adults with age-related hearing loss; audiologists should use these findings to counsel patients and reinforce the...

Validation of the Adaptive Danish Sentence Test (DAST): Normative Data from a Template-Based, Linguistically Rich Sentence-in-Noise Test

The DAST provides a validated, linguistically balanced speech-in-noise test with normative data for Danish-speaking populations — audiologists serving Danish-speaking patients should consider it for diagnostic and fitting verification purposes.

Hearing Aids for Adults With Mild to Moderate Hearing Loss

Characteristics and Prognostic Analysis in Diving-Induced Ear Trauma and Sudden Hearing Loss

Clinicians managing sudden hearing loss in divers should document whether the cause is inner-ear barotrauma versus decompression sickness, as these conditions have distinct prognostic profiles; however, specific practice-changing recommendations await prospective validation.

Temporomandibular Joint Ganglion Cyst Causing Dynamic External Auditory Canal Obstruction and Position-Dependent Hearing Loss: A Case Report and Literature Review

Consider jaw-joint (TMJ) ganglion cysts in the differential for position-dependent conductive hearing loss; imaging of the TMJ region is warranted when standard ear-canal causes are excluded.

Trigeminal trophic syndrome: recognising a pattern

Trigeminal trophic syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed, and recognising its hallmark presentation can prevent unnecessary invasive procedures and guide appropriate neurological referral.

Emotional responses to environmental sounds: associations with self-reported well-being in adults reporting minimal hearing difficulties, some hearing difficulties, and hearing aid use

No immediate practice change, but findings reinforce the value of counselling hearing aid users about the emotional dimension of everyday soundscapes when discussing quality-of-life outcomes.

The effect of real-ear adjusted chirp stimuli on auditory brainstem response threshold estimation and wave V parameters in children

If real-ear-adjusted chirp stimuli demonstrably improve ABR threshold accuracy in children, audiologists performing pediatric ABR testing should consider incorporating RECD-adjusted chirp protocols into their workflow.