Effectiveness of Transtympanic Injections of...

Article Critique: Transtympanic injections of N-acetylcysteine for the Prevention of Cisplatin-induced Ototoxicity A Feasible Method with Promising Efficacy Riga, M., Chelis, L., Kakolyris, S., Papadopoulos, S., Stathakidou, S., Chamalidou, E., Xenidis, N., Amarantidis, K., Dimopoulos, P., Danielides, V. (2003). Transtympanic injections of N-acetylcysteine for the Prevention of Cisplatin Induced Ototoxicity. A Feasible Method with Promising Efficacy. American Journal of Clinical Oncology, 36(1), 1-6. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of transtympanic injections of N-acetylcysteine for the prevention of Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. The study originally involved 24 patients, only twenty of which were eligible for participation, who were all going through some from of cancer treatment involving Cisplatin. The investigators main goals of the study were to evaluate the â€Å"feasibility of the transtympanic effusion of an otoprotective medicament, such as N-acetylcysteine, in a cohort of adult patients treated with cisplatin in terms of both patient compliance and middle ear reaction to the infusion of the agent (Riga, M. et al., 2013). They also wanted to, â€Å"evaluate the otoprotective efficacy of this manipulation in cisplatin-treated humans† (Riga, M. et al., 2013). Cisplatin has long been known as a drug that can cause detrimental problems to the auditory system. After the each round of Cisplatin, the patients were also treated