title: Combined electric acoustic stimulation with the PULSARCI(100) implant system using the FLEX(EAS) electrode array.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that electric acoustic stimulation (EAS(®)) using the FLEX(EAS) electrode is a successful treatment method for preservation and stability of low frequency hearing, and results in significant improvements in speech perception.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Low frequency hearing preservation and stability following EAS surgery with the MED-EL PULSARCI(100) implant using the FLEX(EAS) electrode and a combined processor in a multicentre setting, and the efficacy and benefits of EAS over time were evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen subjects with normal to moderate hearing loss in the low frequencies and severe to profound hearing loss in the high frequencies were implanted with the FLEX(EAS) electrode. Implantation was performed by different surgeons at three participating centres using either the cochleostomy or the round window approach. Preoperatively, hearing was measured; a battery of speech perception tests and the subjective benefit questionnaire were administered. These tests were subsequently repeated: first at EAS fitting, which was due 3 months after surgery, and then again 3, 6 and 12 months after EAS fitting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hearing could be preserved in all subjects. Speech understanding showed significant improvement in all tests over time with the EAS condition outperforming the cochlear implant-only condition at all intervals. These considerable effects were also reflected in the subjective benefit outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. silke.helbig@kgu.de
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Helbig
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van de Heyning
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleine-Punte
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brockmeier
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gstoettner
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006316:Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test; D055815:Young Adult