[Long-term adaptation of the patients to electrical stimulation in the course of rehabilitation following cochlear implantation].

The objective of the present work was to study long-term adaptation of the patients to electrical stimulation in the course of rehabilitation following cochlear implantation. The following parameters were determined: variations of threshold auditory sensation of electrical stimulation (ESS), alteration of the maximum electrical stimulation comfort level (MCL), changes in the dynamic range (DR) of the stimulus and changes in the threshold auditory nerve action potentials (ANAP). The observations on ESS dynamics and DR of the stimulus were collected during 2 years after the first connection of the processor in a group of 27 patients. The data obtained from the 3rd, 12th, and 20th stimulation channels were included in the study. The observations on ANAP dynamics were collected during 1 year after surgery in a group of 112 patients. It was shown that ESS variations largely occurred within the first two weeks after connection and did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, MCL and DR changes showed a stably increasing tendency throughout the entire period of observations, with the enhancement of MCL of DR amounting to 25-28% and roughly 50% of the initial values respectively. Threshold auditory sensation of electrical stimulation significantly decreased by the time of the first connection of the implant compared with the surgical data. Further changes in threshold ESS were relatively small and did not reach statistical significance.