Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Drug Discov Today. 2010 Apr;15(7-8):314-21. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2010.02.005. Epub 2010 Feb 23.
For many years, the fields of inner ear pharmacology and hearing devices have progressed in parallel with limited interaction. Recently, there has been a considerable advancement in our understanding of the inner ear and its pathologies. Cochlear implantation is now being adapted for patients with considerable residual hearing but minimal benefit from hearing aids. A major consequence is the recognition that devices can be implanted into the partially deaf inner ear with minimal loss of hearing. This opens the door to the concept of local drug treatment of the inner ear using implantable devices. The evolution of cochlear implantation thus presents us with an opportunity to develop a range of local pharmacologic interventions to prevent hearing degeneration.
多年来，内耳药理学和听力设备领域一直平行发展，相互之间的交流有限。最近，我们对内耳及其病理的认识有了相当大的提高。对于那些仍有一定残余听力但助听器效果甚微的患者，现在已经开始采用耳蜗植入术。这一转变的一个主要结果是认识到可以将设备植入部分失聪的内耳，而听力损失最小。这为使用可植入设备对内耳进行局部药物治疗的概念打开了大门。因此，耳蜗植入术的发展为我们提供了一个机会，来开发一系列局部药物干预措施，以预防听力下降。
