Page 2 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2025

RVC RESEARCH STUDY VETERINARY SERVICES RVC.AC.UK

issues blocking sound transmission. The Neurology and Neurosurgery Service After discussion of the potential treatment
Sensorineural deafness is where hearing is developing an outpatient hearing clinic, options, it was decided to proceed with
receptors and/or nerve pathways fail to using the BAER. This will be aimed at a right-sided total ear canal ablation and
develop or are damaged and so cannot owners or breeders who would like to assess lateral bulla osteotomy to remove the
interpret or transmit auditory stimuli. for the presence of congenital deafness in neoplasm and reduce the risk of recurrence.
The benefit of performing a BAER as part their puppies or kittens.
of a diagnostic workup is discussed by Joe The BAER equipment is used with the
Fenn, Senior Lecturer in Neurology and Neurogen TruTrace machine, which was
Neurosurgery: “There are some differences purchased through donations to the ACT
in the types of waveforms that might give in 2021. The TruTrace machine is used to
us an indication as to which of those we’re investigate neuromuscular pathologies,
more suspicious of. Then we might use such as polyneuropathies and myasthenia
things like advanced imaging and examine gravis.
the ears more thoroughly to make a clearer Outlining the benefits of the TruTrace,
distinction as to what the most likely Abbe Crawford, Lecturer in Neurology and
underlying cause is.” Neurosurgery, said: “It was a huge upgrade
for us. Our previous machine was at least
Multiservice collaboration and benefits 20 years old and unreliable. The TruTrace
With the support of the Neurology and machine is very user friendly with immediate
Neurosurgery team, services such as Soft readouts. We're much more confident in
Tissue Surgery are now utilising BAER using it and interpreting the results.”
testing for their patients. An ongoing study
with Matteo Rossanese, co-head of Soft Imogen’s case
Tissue Surgery, is determining the effect of The BAER equipment was recently used
severe external ear disease on hearing and to evaluate hearing in Imogen, a 10-year- Imogen at home
if surgeries used to treat severe ear disease, old neutered Norwegian forest cat. She
such as a total ear canal ablation and lateral was initially presented to the Dermatology The surgery went well but at the
bulla osteotomy, have any effect on long- Service, where a ceruminous gland time of hospital discharge, Imogen had
term hearing. neoplasm, along with multiple papules, was developed postoperative facial paresis
Future steps include introducing the discovered in the right ear. and Horner syndrome, which are common
BAER to the Emergency and Critical Care Imogen also had evidence of Malassezia complications of the surgery – but typically
and Dermatology Services. For patients in otitis in the right ear. Her left ear was normal. temporary. Repeat BAER testing showed
the Intensive Care Unit, the BAER can be BAER testing showed that Imogen could still no change compared to pre-surgery, with
utilised as a tool to investigate brainstem hear in her right ear, but this was reduced in a slight hearing impairment of the right ear.
function, in conjunction with clinical comparison to the left ear. Further examination of the removed ear
examination and advanced imaging. tissue showed ceruminous gland hyperplasia
and an adenoma, which was determined to
Members of the team training on the BAER equipment be benign, along with secondary suppurative
and lymphoplasmacytic otitis externa.
The surgery is expected to be curative for
Imogen without further loss of hearing. As
of the time of publication, Imogen shows a
good recovery.

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2 Autumn 2025