[Treatment of moderately severe hearing loss with totally implantable hearing aid].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of totally implantable hearing aid (Carina) was assessed in adult patients with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss.


METHODS
Surgical implantations of Carina were performed in three adult patients with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss. The safety and effectiveness were evaluated in a more than 12 months follow-up by comparison of outcomes of PTA and speech audiometry pre and post-operatively. The daily usage of implants was observed and compared with traditional hearing aids.


RESULTS
The average elevation of unaided threshold elevation on surgical side was 8.3 dB postoperatively. The average functional gain in four speech frequencies of PTA was 35.4 dB HL and the average threshold decrease of speech discrimination was 22.5 dB HL. The subjective scoring of performance of the implants is significantly higher than traditional hearing aid.


CONCLUSIONS
Totally implantable hearing aid (Carina) is an ideal implant to treat moderate to severe hearing loss. Long term follow-up is needed to validate the results.
Tong
Michael Chi Fai
MC
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, China. mtong@ent.cuhk.edu.hk
Gao
Han
H
Yu
Joannie Ka Yin
JK
Wong
Terence Ka Cheong
TK
Sung
John Ka Keung
JK
van Hasselt
Charles Andrew
CA
D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged