title: Functional status of hearing aids in bilateral-bimodal users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the functional status of the hearing aid (HA) in bilateral-bimodal users, in whom HA monitoring is often neglected because fitting efforts are focused on the cochlear implant (CI). Also, to define an audiometric pattern of residual hearing that might explain why, despite nonoptimal bimodal fitting, certain cochlear implantees still opt to use a HA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulatory care clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experienced bimodal (CI/HA) adult users (N = 31) who use their HA during most of their waking hours. HA settings were required to meet a selected prescriptive (NAL-NL1) electro-acoustical Verifit Speechmap target at low frequencies using the simulated real-ear mode.
  
  
  METHODS
  After initial evaluation, HAs that did not meet the Speechmap target underwent appropriate fitting and reevaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of patients whose HAs met the defined Speechmap criteria after refitting; residual hearing levels in patients who achieved optimal bimodal fitting and in those who did not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At initial evaluation, the HA in 25 (81%) of the 31 participants was malfunctioning or poorly tuned. After HA replacement or retuning, 19 participants (61%) met the Speechmap targets, and 12 (39%) did not. However, the 2 groups had similar mean levels of unaided and aided residual hearing thresholds at 250 or 500 Hz.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To maximize the benefit for bilateral-bimodal users, specific guidelines must be established also for fitting of their HAs. The focus should be on achieving the maximum amplification possible at low frequencies.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Technion-Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel.
authors: Noam
authors: N
authors: Yehudai
authors: Talma
authors: T
authors: Shpak
authors: Tova
authors: T
authors: Most
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Luntz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome