Forskningsenheden for Øre-Næse-Hals, Aalborg Universitetshospital

Last Tuesday, a dedicated team from the North Denmark Region and the Danish Health Data Authority came together for the final workshop in a 2024 series to define and design how remote, digital assessments in hearing healthcare can be effectively organized, developed, and supported by a robust digital infrastructure. The ultimate goal is to ensure that patients with hearing loss can be assessed and fitted with hearing aids more efficiently and promptly in the future. This initiative is part of the ongoing work led by the Cross-Regional Steering Group for Digital Assessment and Digital Infrastructure in Hearing Healthcare, established by the Danish Regions. This collaboration highlights how research networks can drive organizational and developmental partnerships, turning innovative ideas into tangible solutions that benefit patients and healthcare systems alike. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed—and continues to contribute—to creating the best possible digital assessment solutions for patients with hearing loss. Your dedication makes a difference! 🙏 Henrik Jacobsen, MajBritt Winther, Lene Dahl Siggaard, Lone Kaalund Thiel, Jørgen Hougaard, Jacob Lind-Galsgaard, Søren Jakobsen, Christian Gasser, Marie Bygballe Christiansen

Celebrating PhD Progress: Malene’s Latest PhD Milestones 💪 Our dedicated PhD student, Malene Hentze Hansen, has now entered the third year of her PhD journey! 🥳 Malene’s project aims to provide knowledge for general practitioners and ENT specialists to improve diagnostics of BPPV, ultimately enabling more effective treatments for patients 🧠 So far, the first article on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo has already been submitted, and work on the second is well underway 👏 August brought the opportunity to attend the Bárány Society conference with a poster presentation, and just recently, the first study titled, “Is Diagnostics of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo with Mechanical Rotation Chair Superior to Traditional Manual Diagnostics? A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study”, was presented at the annual meeting of the Danish Society for Vestibular Medicine 📢 This month, Malene will be heading to Maastricht for a short research stay to observe vestibular patient care practices, and connect with their team of PhD students 🏥 It’s been an eventful and productive journey so far – stay tuned for more updates as we continue making strides in vestibular research! #PhD #PhDJourney #BPPV #ENT #AalborgUH

Celebrating knowledge and progress at the 10th DSFV Annual Meeting 🤩 On Thursday, seven dedicated researchers and clinicians from Aalborg University Hospital, along with our renowned professor, Herman Kingma, participated in the 10th annual meeting of the Danish Society for Vestibular Medicine and Neurotology (DSFV) in Nyborg 🧠 Board members Dan Dupont Hougaard and Karoline Feekings were pleased with the day and proud of the presenters: ➡️ M.D. Malene Hentze Hansen presented one of her PhD studies on diagnostics in BPPV titled, ”Is Diagnostics of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo with Mechanical Rotation Chair Superior to Traditional Manual Diagnostics? A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study” 🤔 ➡️ M.D. Peter Brandt Sloth and M.D. Emil Krogsgaard Nielsen presented their project, ”Vestibular function evaluated through the video head impulse test and dizziness handicap inventory in a cohort of Danish patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea” 😴 Professors Herman Kingma, Måns Magnusson, and Michael Strupp honored the society with their three keynote lectures on advances in neurotology in Denmark and worldwide over the last decade 👨⚕️ What an inspiring day! Full of updated knowledge and motivation, we return to our patients and research 💡 Also attending: Katrine Johannsen, Jonas Bruun Kjærsgaard. #Vestibular #Neurotology #ENT #DSFV #BPPV #SleepApnea #Research #AalborgUH

📢 Hitting the 2-year mark: learn the effects of vibrotactile feedback in patients with bilateral hypo functioning labyrinths 📢 Severe bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) patients are testing out a new type of rehabilitation, which is meant to help BVP patients who experience insufficient effect of traditional vestibular rehabilitation 🧍 Motivated patients have been wearing a subconscious vibrotactile stimulation belt around their waists for 2 years to investigate the effects on balance and mobility with daily use 🤔 🗓️ The subconscious vibrotactile stimulation belt was developed by Professor Herman Kingma as a non-invasive prothesis to improve both balance and mobility in patients with BVP 🧠 📈 The results were life-changing for the patients, where all patients wearing the belt for more than a year were able to walk without being always observant of their balance and without fear of falling. Furthermore, all patients were more confident going out and socializing 🧑🤝🧑 These results show a significant benefit of the patients who have gained independence and freedom from the use of the belt 🤩 ➡️ Read more about the effects, patient groups, and more in the full article here (open access): https://lnkd.in/deuKqxvP #VibrotactileStimulation #BalanceBelt #Balance #Mobility #Imbalance #MUMC+ #Maastrict #AalborgUH

📢 Discover the latest advancements in bone-anchored hearing implants: insights from a multicenter study 📢 Dive into the fascinating world of bone-anchored hearing implants (BAHI) and learn how innovative surgical techniques transform patient experiences 🧏 A new multicenter study involving seven European university hospitals from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, and The Netherlands has shed light on the clinical outcomes of the MONO surgical procedure 🏥 Head of the Audiovestibular Department in Aalborg, Dan Dupont Hougaard, represents Denmark and our department in the study 👨⚕️ The continuous development of surgical procedures is critical in enhancing patient outcomes and the efficacy of procedures. Since the introduction of bone-anchored hearing implants in 1977, the techniques for implantation have undergone significant refinements 📈 The introduction of the MONO procedure is an important advancement, characterized by reduced drilling and minimizing patient discomfort. This approach simplifies the surgery and aims to improve overall patient outcomes 😄 This multicenter study included a cohort of 51 patients who required surgery with bone-anchored hearing system (BAHS) implants. Over a three-month follow-up period post-surgery, the researchers observed patients’ progress, symptoms, and physical findings during check-ups 🔍 The results? The MONO procedure is safe and efficient, marking a significant step forward in the auditory rehabilitation field 🔊 ➡️ Explore the detailed findings and insights by reading the full article titled “Evaluation of Clinical Performance of Ponto Implantation Using a Minimally Invasive Surgical Technique-A Prospective Multicenter Study” here (open access): https://lnkd.in/dqftcvhk #ENT #Audiology #MONO #BAHA #BAHI #BoneAnchoredHearingAid #BoneAnchoredHearingImplant #AalborgUH

Globalt sammenhold og innovation: AAO-HNSF Kongressen i Miami Beach åbnede døre for ny ØNH-viden ✈ 🌎 I år deltog fire øre-, næse-, halslæger fra Aalborg Universitetshospital i den årlige amerikanske ØNH-kongres, AAO-HNSF (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation), der fandt sted i Miami Beach. AAO-HNSF er verdens største kongres for specialister inden for øre-, næse-, halskirurgi og hoved-halsmedicin, som samlede tusindvis af eksperter fra hele verden 👂 👃 🙎♂️ Kongressen bød på spændende foredrag, workshops og livlige diskussioner om de nyeste fremskridt inden for vores speciale. Vi fik muligheden for at dykke ned i den nyeste forskning og innovative teknologier, som har potentiale til at forbedre behandlingsmetoder og patientpleje. Kongressen var ikke kun en kilde til faglig opdatering, men også en fantastisk mulighed for at netværke med kolleger og udveksle erfaringer på tværs af landegrænser 👨🏫 🤝 Vores mål var at vende hjem med værdifuld indsigt og inspiration, som vi kan implementere i vores praksis til gavn for patienter i Danmark. Derfor er vi glade for at kunne meddele, at kongressen uden tvivl var en oplevelse rig på ny viden, der styrkede vores faglighed, som kan bidrage med at løfte standarden inden for øre-, næse-, halskirurgi 🛬 🧠 #ØNH #AAOHNSF #Kongres #Innovation #Forskning #AalborgUH

We are incredibly proud that three of our dedicated and skilled doctors in the Research Unit of ORL and Audiology — Jonas Bruun Kjærsgaard, Christian Danstrup, and Lene Dahl Siggaard — have secured a grant of 2.6 million DKK from the Melsen Foundation for the purchase of new endoscopic equipment. 👏 This cutting-edge equipment will significantly enhance the diagnostic process for patients referred to our throat clinic on suspicion of cancer. With this new technology, many patients will be able to confirm or rule out a cancer diagnosis more quickly, thereby shortening the time from initial suspicion to the potential start of cancer treatment. We are eagerly looking forward to putting this new equipment to use and learning even more about how we can diagnose our patients with suspected head and neck cancer more quickly, gently, and accurately. #CancerDiagnosis #ENTResearch #InnovationInHealthcare #PatientCare #HeadAndNeckCancer #MedicalAdvancements

Tillykke til Malene Krogh og medforfatterne for udgivelsen af hendes første ph.d.-artikel 👏 Ph.d.-studerende Malene Hentze Hansen er medforfatter på artiklen, som udgår fra Almen Medicin på Aalborg Universitetshospital, hvor hun startede sin forskningsmæssige karriere 👩⚕️ Denne erfaring tager hun nu i brug på Øre-Næse-Halskirurgisk Afdeling. Om dette siger hun: ”Jeg værdsætter, at jeg fik mulighed for at få samlet lidt erfaring inden for kvalitativ forskning. Jeg synes, det er en vigtig disciplin, der bl.a. har den styrke, at det prioriterer dybde ved at fokusere på de individuelle perspektiver. Det gør det muligt at udforske forskningsemnet fra en anden vinkel end kvantitativ forskning kan alene. Selvom jeg aktuelt kun arbejder med kvantitativ forskning, der er baseret på en større datamængde og derved prioriterer bredde, finder jeg mit kendskab til kvalitativ forskning meget brugbart. Det giver mig en forståelse af nuancer og kontekst i mine kvantitative data. Kvantitativ forskning kan vise mønstre og tendenser i data, men ikke altid forklare, hvorfor de opstår. Mit kendskab til kvalitativ forskning har hjulpet mig med at kunne tænke over de underliggende årsager, der kan påvirke mine kvantitative resultater” 💡 🔄   Læs mere om artiklen i Malene Kroghs LinkedIn-opslag 👇

Empowering medical research through diverse competencies 🧠🔍 In today's rapidly evolving and increasingly digitized world, medical researchers may gain immensely from acquiring skills beyond the traditional scope of planning, executing, and analyzing clinical research studies. By expanding knowledge in areas such as business strategy and organization, innovation strategy and business model development, market and competition analysis, business economics, and project leadership, researchers may better understand how innovations and research outcomes can be effectively integrated and implemented into modern healthcare systems 📖 🏥 Therefore, we would like to highlight the journey of one of our own, Lene Dahl Siggaard, PhD and ENT specialist, who has embarked on the 3rd semester of her Master of Business Administration. Over the past three days, Lene has begun crafting a comprehensive assignment on private-public collaborations in Danish healthcare, focusing on methodology within one of the three paradigms of science philosophy. Additionally, she will be diving into courses focusing on project leadership in innovative organizations and how to harness digital transformations' power in both the public and private sectors 🚀 By June 2025, Lene will have completed her MBA, bringing new knowledge back to our research group. This expertise will undoubtedly enhance our ability to integrate our research into future clinical practices, ultimately benefiting the healthcare community 👩⚕️📚 #MedicalResearch #Innovation #Healthcare #BusinessStrategy #DigitalTransformation #PhilosophyOfScience #ProjectLeadership #MBAJourney #FutureOfHealthcare

Aalborg University Hospital Shares Key Vestibular Research and Insights at the Bárány Society Meeting 🧠 There was a strong turnout from the ENT and Audiology Department at Aalborg University Hospital at this year's Bárány Society Meeting, where residents, PhD students, and senior consultants presented posters and oral presentations 👏 The Department contributed to the meeting with: ➡️ A poster on Peter Brandt Sloth and Emil Krogsgaard Nielsen’s master's thesis titled “Vestibular function in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea”, ➡️ A poster on PhD student Malene Hentze Hansen’s research on BPPV titled “Diagnostics of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: manual versus mechanical rotation chair diagnostics”, ➡️ A poster on PhD student Jonas Bruun Kjærsgaard’s research within the vestibular system titled “Reconsidering the origin of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials: a scoping review”, ➡️ An oral presentation from the Head of the Audiovestibular Department Dan Dupont Hougaard titled “Psychological impact of having a vestibular disease – preliminary data from a tertiary university hospital”, ➡️ An oral presentation, moderator function, and several co-authorships from Professor Herman Kingma, ➡️ Senior registrar Karoline Feekings and Dan Dupont Hougaard represented the Danish Society for Vestibulology along with the rest of the board. PhD student Malene Hentze Hansen attended the meeting for the first time, saying this about the experience: “Spending four days with experts who share my passion for vestibulology was an amazing experience. I gained valuable insights into the latest research and clinical practices, but the best part was the chance to connect and have inspiring conversations. This really deepened my understanding of BPPV and gave me a stronger foundation to discuss my own research" 👨⚕️🗨️ 👩⚕️ The Bárány Society is a global society focused on studying the vestibular system and its role in balance, orientation, and spatial perception. The society provides a platform for researchers and experts worldwide to share their latest findings and participate in engaging discussions 🌍 🩺 Head of the Audiovestibular Department, Associate Professor Dan Dupont Hougaard emphasizes: “It is of paramount importance to meet with fellow peers to gain new insights into the latest knowledge and to discuss possible future collaborations within this interesting and rapidly developing subspecialty. Moreover, it is a great opportunity to showcase some of the latest research from our dedicated team of very skilled researchers at the Department" 👨⚕️ #BaranySociety #ENT #Audiology #VestibularSystem #AalborgUH #Poster #OralPresentation