ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Otorinolaringologia 2019 September;69(3):141-6

DOI: 10.23736/S0392-6621.19.02233-1

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effect of different input dynamic range variables on cochlear implant performance in postlingual cochlear implant in adults

Tarek A. GHANNOUM, Mona H. SELIM, Amira M. EL-SHENNAWY, Zahraa M. ELBOHY ✉

Unit of Audiology, Department of ENT, Kasr Al-Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

BACKGROUND: If our goal is to optimize patient performance in daily life, then clinical fitting should improve the ability of cochlear implant (CI) users to understand soft speech as well as speech in noise. It is important to change the input dynamic range (IDR) characteristics in order to optimize the CI performance in everyday life. Aims of work are to evaluate the effect of different IDR characteristics on CI performance.
METHODS: The study group comprised of fourteen post-lingual CI adults who were implanted and used their device for at least 6 months were studied. Programs were adjusted for four input sensitivity settings differing in threshold (T) & comfortable (C) levels, microphone sensitivity (MS) and volume sensitivity. Subjects were tested using each sensitivity program with Arabic monosyllabic word lists presented at 50 dB SPL and 70 dB SPL both in quiet and in noise (signal to noise ratio 0,+10, ̶ 10) with and without visual cues (VC). In addition, aided hearing threshold level was tested.
RESULTS: The highest word recognition score at 50 dB SPL without VC in quiet was obtained when T level was set behaviorally followed by maximum MS. The highest score at 70 dB SPL in quiet was obtained with maximum MS.
CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral measuring of T levels results in maximized perception of soft sounds. High MS setting makes low-level sounds more audible. Based on the results of the study, clinical programming recommendations are provided.

KEY WORDS: Cochlear implants; Quality of life; Sound