Speech perception performance for 100 post-lingually deaf adults fitted with Neurelec cochlear implants: Comparison between Digisonic® Convex and Digisonic® SP devices after a 1-year follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients implanted with the Digisonic® SP device showed better identification scores than those implanted with the Convex device, with skills continuing to improve over a longer time period. Technological improvements were beneficial in terms of speech perception in quiet.


OBJECTIVE
To compare speech perception skills for post-lingually deaf patients implanted with a previous Neurelec device, the Digisonic® Convex, with those implanted with a more recent one, the Digisonic® SP, which provides more electrodes and a faster stimulation rate.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of 100 implanted patients, 45 with the Digisonic® Convex implant and 55 with the Digisonic® SP. Speech perception (dissyllabic words and sentences, in open set) was evaluated until 1 year after implantation.


RESULTS
Patients fitted with the Digisonic® SP implant showed significantly better scores after 3, 6, and 12 months (mean scores: 53%, 62%, and 68% for words; 58%, 69%, and 75% for sentences) than those fitted with the Convex implant (34%, 42%, and 43% for words; 38%, 59%, and 51% for sentences). The improvement in speech perception after implantation for SP patients continued throughout the 12 months for words and 6 months for sentences, versus 6 months for words and 3 months for sentences for Convex patients.
Lazard
Diane S
DS
Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France. diane.lazard@bjn.aphp.fr
Bordure
Philippe
P
Lina-Granade
Geneviève
G
Magnan
Jacques
J
Meller
Renaud
R
Meyer
Bernard
B
Radafy
Emilien
E
Roux
Pierre-Eric
PE
Gnansia
Dan
D
Péan
Vincent
V
Truy
Eric
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003054:Cochlear Implants / Q000145:classification*; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D055815:Young Adult