title: Restoring speech perception with cochlear implants by spanning defective electrode contacts.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Even with six defective contacts, spanning can largely restore speech perception with the HiRes 120 speech processing strategy to the level supported by an intact electrode array. Moreover, the sound quality is not degraded.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have demonstrated reduced speech perception scores (SPS) with defective contacts in HiRes 120. This study investigated whether replacing defective contacts by spanning, i.e. current steering on non-adjacent contacts, is able to restore speech recognition to the level supported by an intact electrode array.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten adult cochlear implant recipients (HiRes90K, HiFocus1J) with experience with HiRes 120 participated in this study. Three different defective electrode arrays were simulated (six separate defective contacts, three pairs or two triplets). The participants received three take-home strategies and were asked to evaluate the sound quality in five predefined listening conditions. After 3 weeks, SPS were evaluated with monosyllabic words in quiet and in speech-shaped background noise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants rated the sound quality equal for all take-home strategies. SPS with background noise were equal for all conditions tested. However, SPS in quiet (85% phonemes correct on average with the full array) decreased significantly with increasing spanning distance, with a 3% decrease for each spanned contact.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands. j.h.m.frijns@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Johan H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Frijns
authors.forename: Jorien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Snel-Bongers
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vellinga
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schrage
authors.forename: Filiep J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Vanpoucke
authors.forename: Jeroen J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Briaire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D058996:Quality Improvement; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*