Integration of acoustic and electrical hearing.
For some individuals with severe high-frequency hearing loss, hearing aids cannot provide a satisfactory improvement in speech recognition. However, these same patients often have too much residual hearing to qualify as candidates for a cochlear implant. Here we describe results with the Iowa/Nucleus Hybrid cochlear implant, which is designed to preserve the patient's residual low-frequency hearing while at the same time supplementing their high-frequency hearing through electrical stimulation. The advantages of this approach are presented, including improved speech recognition in competing backgrounds as compared with traditional cochlear implants. The results with the Iowa/Nucleus Hybrid device demonstrate the ability of the auditory system to integrate acoustic and electrical stimulation, even under conditions of severe distortions to the normal cochlear place-frequency mapping.
Turner
Christopher
C
University of Iowa, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. christopher-turner@uiowa.edu
Gantz
Bruce J
BJ
Reiss
Lina
L
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006316:Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome