title: A comparative study of hearing aids and round window application of the vibrant sound bridge (VSB) for patients with mixed or conductive hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of the round window (RW) application of the vibrant soundbridge (VSB) in patients with mixed or conductive hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Speech in quiet and in noise were compared to preoperative data attained with conventional hearing aids so that each subject served as his or her own control in a single test protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen adults implanted monaurally with the VSB in the poorer hearing ear. Experience with the VSB ranged from nine to 25 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen of the 18 subjects were successful VSB users, wearing their device all waking hours. There was no significant deterioration in the averaged bone conduction results preoperatively versus post-operatively (p>0.05). Speech recognition in quiet results were not significantly different to performance attained whilst wearing hearing aids (p>0.05). Speech recognition in noise performance was substantially improved with use of the VSB in most test conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the majority of the subjects, the VSB was an effective method of hearing restoration for their mixed and conductive hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Australia. roberta@specialisthearing.com.au
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Linton
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Eikelboom
authors.forename: Elle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Statham
authors.forename: Gunesh P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rajan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D001844:Bone Conduction; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D046089:Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012405:Round Window, Ear / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception; D013812:Therapeutics; D013997:Time Factors; D014732:Vibration; D055815:Young Adult