Magnetic Resonance Imaging Compatibility of a New Generation of Active Middle Ear Implant: A Clinically Relevant Temporal Bone Laboratory Study.

Objective: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an essential tool of modern medical imaging and disease diagnosis. In November 2014, a new MRI-conditional (up to 1.5 T) generation of an active middle ear implant (AMEI) was released to the market.

Intraoperative measurement for a new transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implant.

Objective: To investigate the possibility of using a modified reverse transfer function (RTF) measurement intraoperatively during surgery of a new transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implant to evaluate the status of the device.

Methods: Tests were performed on a cadaver skull (preclinically) and two conductive hearing loss patients implanted with a new transcutaneous bone conduction implant. During intraoperative activation, the RTF was measured using a microphone attached perpendicularly and directly to the skin in the middle section of the forehead.

Evaluation of a minimally invasive surgical fixation technique for young children with the Concerto Pin cochlear implant system.

In 2011, Med-El (Innsbruck, Austria) introduced a new cochlear implant system, designed to require a minimally invasive surgical technique and allow greater positional flexibility for its fixation on the skull. The Concerto Pin implant system is a good option for patients with thinner bone, such as children and elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the implant’s stability in children using our minimally invasive surgical technique.

Effects of envelope shape on interaural envelope delay sensitivity in acoustic and electric hearing.

The envelope shape is important for the perception of interaural time difference (ITD) in the envelope as supported by the improved sensitivity for transposed tones compared to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (SAM) tones. The present study investigated the effects of specific envelope parameters in nine normal-hearing (NH) and seven cochlear-implant (CI) listeners, using high-rate carriers with 27-Hz trapezoidal modulation. In NH listeners, increasing the off time (the silent interval in each modulation cycle) up to 12 ms, increasing the envelope slope from 6 to 8 dB/ms, and increasing the peak level improved ITD sensitivity.

Active middle ear implant compared with open-fit hearing aid in sloping high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.

Objective: To compare 2 open-ear hearing solutions for sloping high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss: open-fit hearing aid (HA) and active middle ear implant (AMEI).

Study Design: Within-subjects prospective design.

Setting: Tertiary referral hospital.

Sensitivity to interaural level and envelope time differences of two bilateral cochlear implant listeners using clinical sound processors.

Objectives: To assess the sensitivity of two bilateral cochlear implant users to interaural level and time differences (ILDs and ITDs) for various signals presented through the auxiliary inputs of clinical sound processors that discard fine timing information and only preserve envelope cues.

Design: In a lateralization discrimination experiment, the just noticeable difference (JND) for ILDs and envelope ITDs was measured by means of an adaptive 2-AFC method. Different stimuli were used, including click trains at varying repetition rates, a speech fragment, and noise bursts.

Speech perception with a cochlear implant used in conjunction with a hearing aid in the opposite ear.

The aim of this study was to determine the improvement in speech recognition provided by a cochlear implant (CI) in conjunction with a hearing aid (HA) in the opposite ear. The study was a retrospective cohort study in the context of a university teaching hospital CI programme. Seven CI patients who still use their HA in the opposite ear were tested.

Speech perception with a cochlear implant used in conjunction with a hearing aid in the opposite ear.

The aim of this study was to determine the improvement in speech recognition provided by a cochlear implant (CI) in conjunction with a hearing aid (HA) in the opposite ear. The study was a retrospective cohort study in the context of a university teaching hospital CI programme. Seven CI patients who still use their HA in the opposite ear were tested.

Variables affecting speech perception in postlingually deaf adults following cochlear implantation.

Objective: To evaluate the time span over which there is greatest improvement in postlingually deaf adults undergoing cochlear implantation. Additionally, to quantify potential patient and device factors that may predict the postoperative results.

Material And Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted.

Does cochlear reimplantation affect speech recognition?

Although cochlear implantation has been proven to be a very effective method of rehabilitation for post-lingually deaf adults and pre-lingually deaf children, as electronic devices, cochlear implants are occasionally subject to damage or breakdowns. In these cases, reimplantation would be necessary. The aim of this study was to find out whether or not there are any negative effects on speech abilities after reimplantation with the same type of multichannel digital implant in the same ear.

The role of age in pediatric cochlear implantation.

Objective: To document progress, benefit and importance of age in paediatric cochlear implantation.

Design: The EARS (Evaluation of Auditory Responses to Speech) test battery was performed on 33 prelingually deaf children at regular intervals up to 36 months following implantation. All children participated in individually tailored intensive audiological rehabilitation programs after receiving their implants.