84474 - Audiology

Learning outcomes

Describe the clinical manifestations, etiology, epidemiology, risk factors, natural history, diagnosis, staging prognostic indicators and management of the main disorders of hearing, balance, and vocal communication, with emphasis on those most commonly encountered in the clinical practice. Identify the major diagnostic and therapeutic options for each encountered clinical scenario, and discuss their benefits and limitations. Summarize decision-making algorithms for a correct differential diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment choice. Present and critically analyze clinical cases, discuss the differential diagnosis, and formulate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for each case (Problem-Based Learning).

Course contents

Anatomy and physiology of the ear. Instrumental semiotics. Tone and speech audiometry; classification of hearing loss. Diagnosis and therapy of the major diseases of the external, middle and internal ear. Childhood deafness; causes, newborn screening, diagnostics (otoacoustic emissions, brainstem evoked potentials, behavioral audiometry). Hearing aids and cochlear implants. Clinical vestibology: anatomy, physiology, clinical and instrumental semiotics. Main vestibular disorders.

Readings/Bibliography

It is possible to improve personal knowledges with some specialistic text books such as:

- Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2018 edition,

- Basic Otorhinolaryngology: A Step-by-Step Learning Guide, second edition, Thieme

Teaching methods

Lectures in presence. Clinical clerkship (see Otorhinolaryngology).

Assessment methods

Being an integrated course, the exam includes a test for each of the 7 modules: all the tests must be carried out and passed in the same appeal; the insufficiency of a single test leads to the repetition of the entire exam in one of the subsequent appeals.

With regard to the method of the exam, it will take place in person with a written test, according to recent UNIBO rules (MAY 2022). For each of the 7 modules the test will consist of ten multiple choice questions and sufficiency is achieved with at least 6 exact answers. To establish the final mark, since each of the 7 modules has 1 CFU, the sum of the individual votes will be made and the mark will be defined in thirtieths with a mathematical equation. Praise will be given if all 7 individual tests are error-free or with only one mistake overall. Duration of the exam: 105 minutes.

The student will receive the mark on Alma Esami; it will be reported by e-mail and the student can possibly refuse the vote within 48 hours by communicating it by email to Prof. Ferri; otherwise it will be tacitly accepted and then recorded.

Teaching tools

Slides (Microsoft Office Power Point) and videos from PC with video projector.

Office hours

See the website of Gian Gaetano Ferri