Sound localization in patients with cochlear implant--preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate sound localization ability in patients with unilateral cochlear implant, who do not wear a hearing aid on the contralateral ear, and to try to improve this ability by training.


METHODS
Tertiary academic referral center.


METHODS
In the initial test, patients were exposed to sound stimuli from different directions and were asked to localize them. Following a training period the patients were re-evaluated by the same test. For each test, the percentage of correct answers and the final test score were calculated.


RESULTS
In the initial test, the mean score of the study group of four cochlear implant users was 42.8 (out of a maximal score of 100), the mean rate of correct responses was 27.5%. Following a training period (6.5 sessions on the average), on the final test the mean score of the group was 74.3, while the mean rate of correct responses was 66.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrated that patients with unilateral cochlear implant have some ability to localize sound, and that this ability may be improved by regular training.
Luntz
Michal
M
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Technology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, PO Box 4940, 7 Colomb Street, 31048 Haifa, Israel. luntz@csts.co.il
Brodsky
Alexander
A
Hafner
Hava
H
Shpak
Thalma
T
Feiglin
Hava
H
Pratt
Hillel
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013017:Sound Localization; D016896:Treatment Outcome