Diseases of the Ear

At Weill Cornell, otolaryngologists have access to the latest technologies to treat the full range of diseases of the ear. Our physicians have pioneered new and better treatments for a variety of conditions, including:

• Otosclerosis - this condition results from abnormal bone deposition near one of the tiny bones in the middle ear, the stapes. The deposits prevent the stapes from transmitting vibrations to the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss.
• Cholesteatoma - an epithelial cyst formed from skin tissue and cells. Cholesteatomas can cause bone erosion, hearing loss, vertigo, and – in some cases – can affect the facial nerve causing weakness of the facial muscles or even paralysis.
• Perforations of the Tympanic Membrane - The tympanic membrane (eardrum), the delicate sheet of tissue that separates the external ear from the middle ear, can become damaged due to trauma or chronic infection. Untreated, this leaves the delicate middle ear vulnerable to infection and can produce hearing loss.
• Acute and Chronic Ear Infections - ear infections may lead to acute problems, including abscesses behind the ear or mastoiditis, that require surgical drainage. Chronic ear infections may lead to cholesteatoma or middle ear and mastoid infections, often requiring microsurgical management.

Cochlear implants are FDA-approved, surgically implanted devices that provide access to speech stimuli and environmental sounds for individuals with severe hearing loss. Cochlear implants electrically stimulate the auditory nerve in order to successfully communicate with others, and are typically used when hearing loss is so severe that conventional hearing aids will not allow an individual to access sounds or do not provide sufficient clarity for speech sounds.