Grant allows UC researchers to investigate prevention of hearing loss
Published by Communications and Development
25 November 2009
A University of Canterbury research team has been awarded a grant of almost $350,000 from the Oticon Foundation in New Zealand to investigate the prevention of hearing loss during ear surgery.
Auditory physiologist Dr Greg O’Beirne from the Department of Communication Disorders, and otolaryngologist Mr Phil Bird, an adjunct staff member in the department, have received the major financial commitment from the charitable trust for their three-year research project into methods to monitor hearing and reducing hearing loss during otologic surgery – or ear micro-surgery. They will be awarded the grant at a function on campus this evening.
The research is likely to benefit the large number of people undergoing otologic surgery, around 60 per year in Christchurch alone, with thousands more worldwide.
The funding will help establish a world leading centre for intraoperative audiological research in Christchurch and will facilitate a range of future projects in the area.
“This research is all about better outcomes for patients,” said Mr Bird. “Occasionally patients have problems with hearing and balance after surgery. This research will allow us to look at these issues and the interventions in a systematic way to get better results for patients.”
“The project aims to reduce the likelihood of hearing loss occurring during otologic surgery by improving current methods of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring of auditory function and investigating the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions aimed at preventing inner ear damage,” Dr O’Beirne said.
Intraoperative monitoring provides the surgeon with information about the status of the inner ear and cochlear nerve while surgery is happening. This provides a means of reducing or eliminating permanent damage to the cochlea or cochlear nerve during surgery by detecting changes in function early enough to allow the surgical team to modify their procedure.
The first stage will start shortly with the development of the monitoring system to be used during surgery. The new system will enable continuous objective measurement of both middle- and inner-ear function, and will use new stimuli and measurement techniques that help improve the quality (signal-to-noise ratio) of the intraoperative recordings.
“We are very thankful to the Oticon Foundation for supporting this major piece of work,” said Dr O’Beirne. “We will provide regular updates on progress. Results from the study will be published in international peer-reviewed journals, and presented at national and international conferences.”
The Oticon Foundation in New Zealand was established in 1976. It is a charitable trust of Oticon New Zealand Limited and aims to improve the lives of the hearing impaired in New Zealand through communication and knowledge. It is committed to finding better solutions to hearing loss and strives to increase public awareness and understanding of hearing impairment.
For further information please contact:
Maria De Cort
Communications Officer
University of Canterbury
Ph: +64 3 364 2072
maria.decort@canterbury.ac.nz