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Open research questions in Ear Surgery and Otitis Media

397 gap statements mined from Ear Surgery and Otitis Media papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 1,627 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • Additionally, no data were collected on laboratory parameters, such as inflammatory markers or white blood cell counts, to complement the clinical decision-making process for obtaining radiological images after 48 hours of treatment.

    Retrospective study of pediatric mastoiditis in a tertiary hospital: the microbiology spectrum and antibiotic treatment · 2026 · DOI

  • Compliance with ethical standards all patients included in this study are unique and have not been reported in any previous publication by the authors. Accordingly, these findings should be interpreted within the context of the study design, and further large-scale randomized studies are warranted to confirm the potential role of CGF in tympanoplasty.

    The role of concentrated growth factor (CGF) in type 1 tympanoplasty · 2026 · DOI

  • Whether cholesteatoma, as a more aggressive manifestation of chronic middle-ear disease, confers additional risk of cochlear impairment beyond non-cholesteatomatous CSOM remains controversial.

    Audiometric indicators of cochlear involvement in chronic suppurative otitis media with and without cholesteatoma · 2026 · DOI

  • Although we did not measure any actual stapes prostheses, an optimal reconstruction plane may be valuable in the preoperative planning but should be validated in prospective clinical trials. The routine use of imaging in otosclerosis remains debated and without consensus on the use of a specific grading scale for classifying otosclerosis in clinical imaging.

    Comparison of cone beam computed tomography multiplanar reconstruction in the plane of stapes and the lateral semicircular canal for the diagnosis of otosclerosis · 2026 · DOI

  • Although both amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate have been compared with placebo, they have not been directly compared with each other in the treatment of AOM in any randomized controlled trial. Therefore, it remains uncertain which treatment is superior, and both have advantages. The evidence comparing the efficacy of 5-day versus 7-day treatment duration is lacking.

    Antibiotic use and adherence to Finnish treatment guidelines in pediatric acute otitis media · 2026 · DOI

  • Compared with OE, few studies have characterized the ear canal microbiota of healthy dogs using bacterial culture-based methods, and the available data are limited.

    Culture and Metagenomic Insights into the Ear Microbiota in Dogs with Healthy Ears and Otitis Externa · 2026 · DOI

  • Studies in live animals would benefit from intraoperative real-time signal feedback through the implanted microphone. Future studies should evaluate the long-term performance of the UmboMic sensor. Future studies should assess the potential risks and complications associated with the implantation of the UmboMic system.

    Development of the Surgical Implantation and Fixation of an Implanted Middle Ear Microphone, the “UmboMic,” in Cadaveric Sheep · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite the concept of “one airway, one disease”, which integrates the middle ear within the broader context of respiratory allergies, the precise role of allergy in the development and persistence of OME remains unclear. This variability underscores the need for further investigation into the interplay between allergic rhinitis and OME for improved clinical management strategies.

    Is Allergic Rhinitis Related to Otitis Media with Effusion in Adults and Children? Applying Epidemiological Guidelines for Causation · 2025 · DOI

  • Future research should prioritize well-designed randomized controlled trials, as well as real-world evidence studies, to address existing knowledge gaps. Multidisciplinary approaches integrating allergology, otolaryngology, and immunology will be critical for developing more precise diagnostic tools and personalized treatment strategies.

    Is Allergic Rhinitis Related to Otitis Media with Effusion in Adults and Children? Applying Epidemiological Guidelines for Causation · 2025 · DOI

  • Studies on the applicability of TEES in pediatric patients are lacking, and thus the efficacy and feasibility of TEES in children remain controversial. Our findings are limited to comparisons of surgical time and outcomes between pediatric and adult patients undergoing TEES.

    The Efficacy of Transcanal Endoscopic Ear Surgery in Children Compared to Adults · 2025 · DOI

  • We found that Candida was detected in nearly 15% of children with DAs, which at first seems surprisingly high but has not yet been studied in children before. As the data were based on retrospective culture findings without histopathologic confirmation or detailed clinical correlation, the clinical significance of Candida in these settings remains uncertain.

    Pediatric Candida Manifestations in the Orofacial Region: A Retrospective Analysis of Different Forms, Risk Factors and Species Distribution · 2025 · DOI

  • There is a need to compare the bacterial communities on the adenoid surfaces of children with OME and children with healthy middle ears.

    Comparing the Microbiome of the Adenoids in Children with Secretory Otitis Media and Children without Middle Ear Effusion · 2024 · DOI

  • We believe that based on these pilot results, it would be appropriate to continue further research on a larger number of samples in order to highlight the facts pro or contra the use of autologous middle ear ossicles affected by cholesteatoma for reconstruction of heraring.

    Three-dimensional micro-computed tomography analysis of middle ear ossicles in cholesteatoma: morphological insights and clinical implications · 2026 · DOI

  • Yet, their clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness in otology remain to be fully established. However, their adoption remains limited by access to specialised equipment, surgeon expertise and institutional resources, which may vary across regions and countries.

    A brief history of otologic surgery: restoring hearing through the ages · 2026 · DOI

  • This study shares several limitations common to cholesteatoma research, including its retrospective design and a follow-up period that is relatively short compared with the long-time frame over which recidivism may occur.

    Medical outcomes after canal wall-down mastoidectomy, external ear canal reconstruction, tympanoplasty, and mastoid obliteration for extensive cholesteatoma · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies are needed to better characterize the relationship between antibiotic timing and both AM development and complication severity.

    Incidence of mastoiditis complications in relation to prior community-based antibiotic treatment · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on longitudinal assessments to evaluate the progression of ET dysfunction and its impact on COM over time.

    The Role of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction in Recurrent Chronic Otitis Media: A Cross-Sectional Study of Anatomical and Functional Variations · 2025 · DOI

  • For example, considering factors such as building materials and design, space and settlements, we can learn more about the risks to human health posed by dwellings (Roberts 2012).

    Hearth and Home in Medieval Iceland · 2026 · DOI

  • The study was limited to a virtual and physical study of the implantation of the UmboMic system. The study did not evaluate the long-term performance of the UmboMic sensor. The study did not assess the potential risks and complications associated with the implantation of the UmboMic system.

    Development of the Surgical Implantation and Fixation of an Implanted Middle Ear Microphone, the “UmboMic,” in Cadaveric Sheep · 2026 · DOI

  • Pediatric OM remains among the most prevalent diseases of early childhood, reflecting a convergence of developmental anatomy, immunological immaturity, and the complex microbial ecology of the upper airway. The contemporary view moves beyond the outdated model of a sterile middle ear invaded episodically by pathogens.

    Biofilm Formation and Its Relationship with the Microbiome in Pediatric Otitis Media · 2025 · DOI

  • Audiologic assessment was limited to a single time point, and longitudinal follow-up data were not available to evaluate potential progression of cochlear-weighted impairment.

    Audiometric indicators of cochlear involvement in chronic suppurative otitis media with and without cholesteatoma · 2026 · DOI

  • Our study offers novel insights into this underexplored area, highlighting the importance of aligning 1 3European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (2026)…

    Disease-specificity in correlations between speech audiometry, hearing-related quality of life, and varying calculation methods for pure tone average in middle ear diseases · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research could investigate the application of the model to a larger population, - The model could be extended to incorporate additional biological…

    Bayesian Uncertainty Quantification for A Fractional-Order Model of the Human Ear · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between the adenoid microbiota and OME, - Longitudinal studies could be conducted to examine the changes in the adenoid microbiota over time, - The effects of probiotics or other microbiome-altering substances on the adenoid microbiota could be investigated, - The relationship between the adenoid microbiota and other respiratory diseases could be…

    Comparing the Microbiome of the Adenoids in Children with Secretory Otitis Media and Children without Middle Ear Effusion · 2024 · DOI

  • Because the number of independent study-level estimates was insufficient within several organism-specific region-by-period strata, we could not reliably perform multivariable meta-regression including both study period…

    Global and temporal shifts in the cultured-based bacteriology of otitis media with effusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Ear Surgery and Otitis Media

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) These findings should be interpreted within the context of the study design, and further large-scale randomized studies are warranted to confirm the potential role of CGF in tympanoplasty (“The role of concentrated growth factor (CGF) in type 1 tympanoplasty”, 2026); (2) Whether cholesteatoma, as a more aggressive manifestation of chronic middle-ear disease, confers additional risk of cochlear impairment beyond non-cholesteatomatous CSOM remains controversial (“Audiometric indicators of cochlear involvement in chronic suppurative otitis…”, 2026); (3) The evidence comparing the efficacy of 5-day versus 7-day treatment duration is lacking (“Antibiotic use and adherence to Finnish treatment guidelines in pediatric acute…”, 2026); (4) Future studies should evaluate the long-term performance of the UmboMic sensor (“Development of the Surgical Implantation and Fixation of an Implanted Middle…”, 2026); (5) Their clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness in otology remain to be fully established (“A brief history of otologic surgery: restoring hearing through the ages”, 2026). 397 gap statements have been mined from Ear Surgery and Otitis Media papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 1,627 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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