Role of slow temporal modulations in speech identification for cochlear implant users.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether the capacity of cochlear implant (CI) users to identify speech is determined by their capacity to perceive slow (< 20 Hz) temporal modulations.

Design: This was achieved by studying the correlation between (1) phoneme identification in quiet and in a steady-state or fluctuating (8 Hz) noises, and (2) amplitude-modulation detection thresholds (MDTs) at 8 Hz (i.e.

Long-term results of surgical treatment of vocal fold nodules.

Objectives/hypothesis: To evaluate the long-term outcome of patients with vocal fold nodules treated by surgery alone, or by a combination of surgery and voice therapy and to identify factors associated with long-term recurrent dysphonia.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: All patients who had undergone surgery for vocal fold nodules in a tertiary care hospital between 1996 and 2006 were contacted.

Endoscopic rehabilitation of vocal cord paralysis with a silicone elastomer suspension implant.

Objectives: Because of the side effects of Teflon, the risk of infection from the use of collagen, autologous fat resorption, and the lack of alternative substances, injection laryngoplasty tends to be replaced by laryngeal framework surgery as the method of choice for the treatment of unilateral vocal cord recurrent paralysis (LP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the results, for morbidity and voice quality, of treating this paralysis by injection of a silicone suspension elastomer implant (SSEI).

Study Design: The study was retrospective, and 19 patients were included.

Effects of amplitude compression on first- and second-order modulation detection thresholds in cochlear implant listeners.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of instantaneous non-linear amplitude mapping on the detection of single-component and multicomponent temporal envelopes. To address this issue, first- and second-order amplitude modulation detection thresholds were measured in four cochlear implant users with the intervention of the compression device of the implant processor. The compression device is set to produce either a strongly or a weakly logarithmic mapping of stimulus amplitude to electrical amplitude.

Pitch-raising surgery in fourteen male-to-female transsexuals.

Objective: To evaluate the indications and results of pitch-raising surgery in male-to-female transsexual patients.

Study Design: Retrospective study of male-to-female transsexual patients who underwent pitch-raising surgery between 1994 and 2001 at a single institution.

Methods: The 14 patients had inadequate improvements after speech therapy alone.

A fractal approach to normal and pathological voices.

Using the box-counting method, we demonstrated recently that the stationary signal of vowels is not fractal, but provides the opportunity to design in the smallest scale a kind of signature for each vowel. This fractal approach to these components of speech allows us to quantify the roughness of the voice, between I (sinusoidal complex signal) and 2 (white noise). We used this method to compare these values in normal and pathological voices.

[Laryngeal immobility after thyroidectomy].

One of the most common complications of surgery of the thyroid gland is vocal folds immobility. New advances in its management have been achieved over the last few years. Laryngeal electromyography, stroboscopy, and computerized analysis of the voice help guide diagnosis, allowing differentiation between recurrent nerve paralysis and glottis traumatism due to intubation, and further follow-up of recovery with relevant therapeutic decisions.

[Q.A.L.Y. index and assessment of cost efficiency of the cochlear implant in acquired profound deafness].

Cost utility analysis is a method of cost-effectiveness analysis which provides results in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life-year (Q.A.L.

[Indications for the cochlear implant in partial deafness of the adult].

The last (may 1995) NHI Consensus Development Conference on cochlear implant recommends to extend the use of cochlear implant for adult patient suffering from bilateral acquired severe hearing impairment. Its indications are a severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally presenting an open-set sentence recognition scores less than or equal to 30 percent under best aided conditions. We report the results of our 4 first implantees responding to these criteria, and discuss the mechanisms of the speech intelligibility improvement which has been obtained.

[Cochlear implant in the aged patient].

Despite the fact that elderly people live frequently alone and frequently have difficulties of vision, is it reasonable to refuse to supply a patient with a cochlear implant only because he is too old? We compare the results of 87 post-lingually implantees as a function of age, less than 60 years (young) and 60 years or more (old). We assessed the implant efficacy using the Protocole Francophone d'Evaluation (PFE), appreciated the speech-therapist's opinion and the patient's satisfaction, and counted the number of hours per day the implant was used (H/D). The PFE score was significantly higher in young than old.

Asynchronous interleaved stimulation (AIS): a new speech coding strategy for cochlear implant.

Cochlear implants use a fixed or F0 dependent stimulation rate, whatever the sound analysed (vowel or consonant) or procedure (fixed filters or FFT). We present a procedure which varies as a function of the input signal. This method is based on FFT analysis using a variable width analysis window.

[Iatrogenic tinnitus and kophosis treated by cochlear implant. Apropos of a case].

A severe iatrogenic tinnitus has been successfully improved by cochlear implant, despite the hearing and intelligibility of the opposite ear were not profoundly impaired. This case report allows to discuss the eventual enlargement of the classic cochlear implant indications.

[Asynchronous sequential stimulation. A new signal treatment for cochlear implants].

Cochlear implants use a fixed or FO dependent stimulation rate, whatever the sound analysed (vowel or consonant) and its analysis procedure (fixed filters or FFT). We present a procedure which varies as a function of the nature of the input signal. This method is based on FFT analysis using a variable with analysis window.

[Photochemotherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the vocal cords of early stage (Tis, T1)].

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a treatment which can prove interesting in head and neck oncology for small squamous cell carcinomas. We studied 33 patients with vocal cord squamous cell carcinoma at an early stage who have been treated by Photodynamic Therapy from 1986 to 1992. We used a Dye Laser Aurora which produces light with a wavelength of 630 nm.

Clinical results for the DIGISONIC multichannel cochlear implant.

The DIGISONIC is a digitized 15-channel cochlear implant. A special version of this implant has been designed for use in the totally obstructed cochlea. This device has 10 separate electrodes that may be inserted, one by one, into 10 different holes drilled in the bony cochlea.

Speech coding strategies of the digisonic fully digitized cochlear implant.

The Digisonic is a fully digitized cochlear implant. Because of its articulated array, its 15 electrodes can be inserted in the cochlea. Each electrode is recessed in a special silastic compartment of the array and has a very large stimulation area thanks to its large microrelief surface area.

[Evaluation protocol of cochlear implants in children under 5 years of age].

Special tests are necessary to assess the cochlear implant efficacy on a prelingually deaf child implanted before age 5 y. We propose to quantify comportment, comprehension, auditory perception and expression as percentage of a same age normally hearing child's scores. The particular items are detailed.

[Results and indications of a multichannel cochlear implant in prelingual deep deafness].

We report the clinical results of 23 prelingually deaf patients who recently benefited with multichannel cochlear implant. Owing to our experience we discuss the audiometric criteria and the patient's age which must be taken in count for the implanting decision.

[Cochlear implants and total cochlear obstruction].

Total cochlea obstruction is not a contraindication for cochlear implant. We report our experience owing to the single channel cochlear implant Monosonic (9 cases), partial insertion of the electrodes-array (3 cases: 1 Digisonic and 2 minisystem) and, more recently the separate electrodes version of the Digisonic (6 cases). This new device is encouraging because it supplies 2/5 patients with telephone use.

[Signal processing and clinical results with the French cochlear implant Digisonic].

The Digisonic is a totally digitised multichannel cochlear implant remarkable for the versatility of its sound signal processing. Owing to its flexible and articulated array, its 15 electrodes are usually introduced in the scala tympani. A special version of this device has been designed to be used in case of total obstructed cochlea.

[Indications and results of cochlear implants in young children].

In order to determine the criteria for patient selection and the preoperative prognostic factors for hearing recovery after cochlear implants in young totally dead children, the results of hearing rehabilitation were studied in 15 children who had undergone cochlear implantation at from 2 to 9 years of age. The choice of implant is determined by the permeability of the cochlear duct. A multi-system should be used, except when the cochlea is totally ossified.

[Improvement of clinical results by digitalization of a single channel cochlear implant].

For 1973 we have been among the first to claim the multichannel cochlear implant superiority regarding single channel efficacy. However we actually thing that single channel cochlear implant is indispensable in case of total ossified cochlea, and very useful when efficacy/coast ratio must be considered. In order to narrow the gap between multi and single channel device efficacy, we used the new microprocessors possibilities to digitalize the analogic emietter of the single channel system, which we designed in 1987.

[The choice between mono- and multielectrode implants in rehabilitation of total deafness in young children].

We underline the necessity to supply a prelingually totally deaf patient with some sound information before the critical age of about 5-8 years, which we had previously experimentally demonstrated on the guinea pig. Multichannel cochlear implant is the most efficient and must be placed most of cases. However, specially in case of total ossified cochlea, single channel cochlear implant is the only usefull.