Auditory Cortex Maturation and Language Development in Children with Hearing Loss and Additional Disabilities.

A significant portion of hearing-impaired children have additional disabilities, but data about the maturation of their auditory cortex are scarce. In these children, behavioral tests are often unreliable, and objective tests are needed for diagnostics and follow-up. This study aimed to explore auditory cortical maturation and language development, and the usability of an objective electroencephalogram-based biomarker in children with multiple disabilities. In 65 hearing aid and cochlear implant users (36 females; 36 with multiple disabilities; 44.3 ± 18.5 months of age, mean ± SD), auditory processing was examined using the P1 cortical auditory evoked response biomarker, and language development with the Preschool Language Scales 5th edition (PLS-5). During the study, all of the children received intensive extra language therapy for six months. No significant differences were found between the groups in P1 latency development, the proportion of abnormal P1 latencies, or the number of children whose P1 latencies changed from abnormal to normal during the study. The PLS-5 total language scores, auditory comprehension scores, or expressive communication scores did not differ between groups either. The P1 latencies showed meaningful negative correlations with the language scores. The results suggest that auditory cortex development is similar in hearing-impaired children with/without additional disabilities, and the P1 biomarker is a feasible tool to evaluate central auditory maturation in children with multiple disabilities.

Analysis of residual pancreatic bed necrosis using computed tomography following minimally invasive necrosectomy.

PURPOSE: In a unit practicing minimally invasive pancreatic necrosectomy (MIPN), our aim was to assess whether tomographic residual necrotic volume was an objective indicator for repeat necrosectomy. METHODS: Prospective study of acute pancreatitis admissions. Patients with infected pancreatic necrosis or deteriorating sepsis had MIPN. Outcome parameters included necrotic volumes, conversion rate, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Thirty patients were admitted with acute pancreatitis of which 15 required organ support. Twenty-nine necrosectomy sessions were performed. Average time from admission to necrosectomy was 39.7 days with an internecrosectomy interval of 6 to 14 days. Mean reduction of necrosis volume was 89.5% and postnecrosectomy volumes were variable. Mean length of hospital and intensive care unit stay was 124.3 and 40.2 days, respectively. Complications included bleeding, pancreatic fistula, and gastric outlet obstruction. No in-hospital deaths or conversions occurred. CONCLUSION: Frequent MIPN achieves substantial pancreatic bed volume reduction with no conversions. Repetitive tomographic scanning is of limited use as an indicator for renecrosectomy.