An interventional study of Cold pack-delivered mild therapeutic hypothermia in Noise Exposure, Noise-induced Hearing Loss and Noise; Adverse Effect, sponsored by Restorear Devices LLC. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 55 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-23.
Sponsored by Restorear Devices LLC · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
The goal of this interventional clinical study is to investigate the use of mild therapeutic hypothermia devices for preservation of sensory structures in the cochlea after noise exposure. The main aims of the study are:
Participants will wear the mild therapeutic hypothermia therapy devices immediately after a fire service shift serially over a year. Researchers will compare results from those receiving the therapy to those from a control group (individuals receiving no therapy and a sham therapy).
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is highly prevalent among occupationally at-risk service groups like the military and firefighters, with disabilities that result in significant healthcare burden, negatively impacting performance on duty and quality of life. Exposure to noise can cause permanent threshold shifts (PTS) with accompanying hair cell loss, or temporary threshold shifts (TTS), with no evident hair cell loss. Noise exposure can also result in rapid and permanent loss of synaptic elements and cochlear nerve terminals with irreversible hearing impairment and long-term degeneration of spiral ganglion (SG) cell bodies.
Currently no FDA-approved treatments are available to prevent or treat NIHL. Delivering pharmaceutical compounds over time, identification of safe dosages, and a critical timeframe relative to noise-exposure remain clinically challenging. RestorEar Devices LLC has developed a non-pharmaceutical application of mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) to protect residual sensory structures and function of the cochlea. MTH is a proven and well-established therapy for neuroprotection. This approach for MTH application is based on significant prior and on-going research that highlights its utility for residual hearing preservation against cochlear implant surgical trauma, ototoxicity, and noise exposure. With SBIR Phase I support, the investigators have successfully demonstrated that effective non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical therapeutic hypothermia can be delivered to the inner ear sensory structures. The investigators have built, calibrated, and tested ReBoundTM, a headband with cooling gel packs placed in contact with the surface of the mastoid. ReBoundTM delivers MTH safely and repeatedly for up to 30 minutes. In this study, the investigators aim to extend this application to human subjects and test safety and efficacy against NIHL in noise-exposed firefighters and matched controls with the collaboration of researchers at the University of Miami.
Aim 1: Evaluate safety of MTH with ReBoundTM devices. With the first in-human studies, the investigators aim to show that MTH can be safely delivered to the inner ear using ReBound. In a randomized study, non-firefighter control subjects will receive MTH-treatment and normothermia-sham (non-cooled gel pack) through the device alternated over 8 sessions. Subjective assessments and audiologic testing (pure tone audiometry, auditory brainstem responses, distortion product otoacoustic emissions and electrocochleography) pre- and post-treatments will be compared between MTH-treatment and sham in each subject. Results of Aim 1 will support the hypothesis that this approach will deliver therapeutic hypothermia to the cochleae and that repeated application will not negatively affect hearing function in healthy subjects.
Aim 2: Validate efficacy of the ReBoundTM MTH devices for mitigating NIHL in an occupationally at-risk group. Based on strong preliminary results, the investigators hypothesize that acute application of MTH in noise-exposed firefighters will reduce temporary changes in auditory function. Firefighters will be divided equally into two treatment groups, MTH-treatment and normothermia-sham. These treatments will be delivered with ReBound, with and without cooled gel packs, applied post-duty. MTH-treatment will also be applied in an age- and sex-matched control group over the same duration. Baseline hearing function will be measured prior to initiation of the treatment. Treatments and the functional assessments will be repeated quarterly over one year. Temporary and permanent threshold changes in this chronically the noise exposed group of firefighters receiving MTH-treatment will be compared with firefighters receiving sham-treatment and with controls receiving MTH-treatment. MTH-groups will also be sent home with a ReBound band and instructed to use it after noise exposure. Subjective assessments will be sent weekly to these groups to evaluate the use pattern of the device. Results of these studies will firmly establish MTH for mitigating NIHL.
This research will be highly impactful given the significant adverse effects of NIHL, an unmet clinical need, and the high translational potential of MTH for mitigating NIHL.
46 studies on the registry are indexed under Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; 10 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 116 is above the median of 88 across 30 interventional studies indexed under Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced.
Browse Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced studies →Restorear Devices LLC is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; 4 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Non-firefighter control subjects will receive MTH-treatment and normothermia-sham through the device alternated over 8 sessions. Subjective assessments and audiologic testing pre- and post-treatments will be compared between MTH-treatment and sham in each subject. n=24.
Device: Cold pack-delivered mild therapeutic hypothermia
Firefighters will receive hypothermia treatment delivered with ReBound devices, applied post-work shift. Baseline hearing function will be measured prior to initiation of the treatment. Treatments and functional assessments will be repeated quarterly over one year. Temporary and permanent threshold changes in this chronically noise exposed group of firefighters receiving MTH-treatment will be compared with firefighters receiving sham-treatment and with controls receiving MTH-treatment. Subjects in this group will also be sent home with a device to use after noise exposure during the study period. They will complete weekly, remote surveys collecting data on their noise exposure and device use. n=24.
Device: Cold pack-delivered mild therapeutic hypothermia
Firefighters will receive non-therapeutic "treatment" delivered with normothermic ReBound devices, applied post-work shift. Baseline hearing function will be measured prior to initiation of the treatment. Treatments and functional assessments will be repeated quarterly over one year. n=24.
Age- and sex-matched non-firefighter control group will receive MTH-treatment quarterly over the same duration. Baseline hearing function will be measured prior to initiation of the treatment. Treatments and functional assessments will be repeated quarterly over one year. Subjects in this group will also be sent home with a device to use after noise exposure during the study period. They will complete weekly, remote surveys collecting data on their noise exposure and device use. n=24.
Device: Cold pack-delivered mild therapeutic hypothermia
Mild therapeutic hypothermia (cooling), delivered non-invasively to the structures of the inner ear (cochlea) for 30 minutes, using headband-style proprietary device, ReBoundRx.
Pure Tone Audiometry
Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) will be performed in the Safety and Efficacy arms immediately post-treatment. PTA will be performed at baseline and immediately post-treatment in the Safety Arm, 8 times over 4 weeks. In the Efficacy Arms, it will be completed quarterly before and immediately post-treatment.
Time frame: Safety Arm: Twice per week, pre- and post- treatment, to the end of treatment at 4 weeks. Efficacy Arms: Every 3 months, pre- and post-treatment, for 1 year.
Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions
Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) will be performed in the Safety and Efficacy Arms immediately post-treatment. DPOAE will be performed at baseline and immediately post-treatment in the Safety Arm, 8 times over 4 weeks. In the Efficacy Arms, it will be completed quarterly before and immediately post-treatment.
Time frame: Safety Arm: Twice per week, pre- and post- treatment, to the end of treatment at 4 weeks. Efficacy Arms: Every 3 months, pre- and post-treatment, for 1 year.
Adverse Event Questionnaire
The 2 question Adverse Event Questionnaire (AEQ) will be administered in both the Safety and Efficacy Arms. It will collect data on any adverse event associated with use of the device.
Time frame: Immediately post-treatment; 3-hours and 24-hours post-treatment.
Device Acceptance Questionnaire
11 question survey about subjective experience and acceptance of the treatment. Includes Likert Scale questions about comfort, likelihood of use of the device, etc.
Time frame: Safety Arm: Post-initial treatment and at the end of week 4 post-enrollment; Efficacy Arms: Post-initial treatment and at the end of 12 months
Weekly Use Surveys
Experimental Efficacy Arm and Non-Firefighter Control Arms for Efficacy Study will complete weekly, 3 question survey monitoring the use of the device at home. Firefighters will be asked how many shifts they had that week and how many times they used the device. Non-firefighters will be asked about their noise exposure and device use.
Time frame: Weekly, from enrollment to end of treatment at 52 weeks.
Plan to share: No
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Restorear Devices LLC