Glimpse into the Future of Otology and Skull Base Surgery

Abstract

We are at the dawn of a new era in which advances in bioscience and digital technology will revolutionize both hearing science and the clinical practice of otology and skull base surgery. The field of regenerative medicine is rapidly advancing in relation to the ear. In molecular genetics, more than 100 genes causing deafness have been identified, and efforts are underway to exploit the potential of gene therapy. Recently, pluripotential stem cells have been identified in the adult mammalian ear, which are not only capable of differentiating into hair cells, but have also been shown to link up to sprouting auditory neurons.