Six children are described in whom deafness followed treatment of full thickness burns with topical antibiotic spray containing neomycin. 3 children developed hypocalcaemic tetany, and were shown to have a metabolic disorder involving hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia, and hypokalaemia. The dangers of treating burns with topical ototoxic and nephrotoxic antibiotics are emphasised.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGs) are severely ototoxic. AGs cause degeneration of outer hair cells (OHCs), leading to profound and irreversible hearing loss. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. OHC survival critically depends on a specific K+ conductance (I(K,n)) mediated by KCNQ4 (Kv7.4) channels. Dysfunction or genetic ablation of KCNQ4 results in OHC degeneration and deafness...

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutical agent that is highly effective in the treatment of solid organ tumours, such as ovarian, testicular, bladder, non-small cell pulmonary, and head and neck tumours. The main side effects associated with the use of cisplatin are gastrointestinal toxicity, nephrotoxicity, myelotoxicity, peripheral neurotoxicity and ototoxicity. Ototoxic lesions cause bilateral neur...