title: Auditory abilities after cochlear implantation in adults with unilateral deafness:  a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study examined speech recognition, localization, temporal and spectral discrimination, and subjective reports of cochlear implant (CI) recipients with unilateral deafness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three adult male participants with short-term unilateral deafness (<5 yr) participated. All had sudden onset of severe-to-profound hearing loss in 1 ear, which then received a CI, and normal or near normal hearing in the other ear. Speech recognition in quiet and noise, localization, discrimination of temporal and spectral cues, and a subjective questionnaire were obtained over several days. Listening conditions were CI, normal hearing (NH) ear, and bilaterally (CI and NH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants had open-set speech recognition and excellent audibility (250-6,000 Hz) with the CI. Localization improved bilaterally compared with the NH ear alone. Word recognition in noise was significantly better bilaterally than with the NH ear for 2 participants. Sentence recognition in various noise conditions did not show significant bilateral improvement; however, the CI did not hinder performance in noise even when noise was toward the CI side. The addition of the CI improved temporal difference discrimination for 2 participants and spectral difference discrimination for all participants. Participants wore the CI full time, and subjective reports were positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the CI recipients with unilateral deafness obtained open-set speech recognition, improved localization, improved word recognition in noise, and improved perception of their ability to hear in everyday life. A larger study is warranted to further quantify the benefits and limitations of cochlear implantation in individuals with unilateral deafness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. firsztj@ent.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Jill B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Firszt
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Reeder
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Waltzman
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arndt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003463:Cues; D004777:Environment; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000601:surgery; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013017:Sound Localization; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests; D013067:Speech Perception; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test; D016896:Treatment Outcome