title: Middle Ear Disease and Cochlear Implant Function: A Case Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been our clinical observation that active middle ear disease (MED) temporally corresponds to a transient decrease in cochlear implant (CI) function, specifically at the apical electrodes. This is non-intuitive as CI function is thought to be independent of middle ear aeration and inflammation. The purpose of this case study is to demonstrate how active MED negatively affects both subjective hearing complaints and objective impedance measures in a CI patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjective hearing decreased and impedances levels increased significantly when the patient was experiencing active MED. No significant changes in these measures occurred when there was no active MED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MED may affect CI function in some patients requiring adjustments in programing at times of involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY USA.
authors.forename: Joshua F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Shinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY USA.
authors.forename: Meg
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY USA.
authors.forename: Bryan D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Hardin
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY USA.
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bush
keywords: Cochlear Implant; Function; Impedance; Middle Ear Disease