Otology and neurotology include diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, such as hearing loss, chronic infection, tumors, and other disorders of the ear and balance system in children and adults. Disorders of the facial nerve, such as Bell’s palsy and tumors, are also included.

Disorders treated include:

• Conductive hearing loss
• Sensorineural hearing loss
• Cholesteatoma (middle ear skin cyst)
• Otosclerosis
• Hearing problems related to trauma
• Tympanic membrane perforations
• Middle ear and skull base tumors such as acoustic neuroma
• Glomus jugulare tumors

We consider amplification and cochlear implantation during comprehensive evaluation and treatment of hearing disorders in children and adults.

For inner ear (vestibular) disorders, we evaluate and treat Meniere’s disease, benign positional vertigo, vestibular neuronitis, and labyrinthitis, among other disorders.

Members of the hearing and balance health care team at Duke include specialists in vestibular evaluation such as ENG and Rotary Chair testing, and experts in vestibular rehabilitation (specialized physical therapy for specific types of balance disorders).

The skull base team includes, in addition to the neurotologists, physicians in neurosurgery as well as radiation oncology who offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment options for skull base tumors such as acoustic neuroma and glomus jugulare tumors.

Cochlear Implants

Duke’s Cochlear Implant Program is dedicated to restoring hearing in patients of all ages with severe to profound hearing loss.

Duke’s program has long been a leader in this field, performing some of the first cochlear implant surgeries in the country and continuing with a research effort that has contributed to some of the major advances in the field.

A cochlear implant is an electronic device designed to provide sound detection and improved speech understanding to severely hearing impaired children and adults who are not able to obtain adequate benefit from hearing aids. Our multidisciplinary team of experts provides comprehensive evaluations, treatment, and long term support for cochlear implant recipients.

Duke otolaryngologists work closely with audiologists from the initial fitting and rehabilitation of the device to on-going management of device performance. State-of-the-art technology, collaborative care between Duke otolaryngologists and speech pathology and audiology specialists, and ongoing clinical research provide the best possible treatment for hearing impaired patients.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Evans, Adele K.
• Kaylie, David M.
• Tucci, Debara L.

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Otolaryngology of Raleigh
  Duke Medicine Plaza 3480 Wake Forest Road, Suite 404, Raleigh, NC 27609
• Duke Otolaryngology, Head and Neck, ENT
  Duke Clinic 1H, Purple Zone, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710