RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Due to the constant development of technology and medicine, the eligibility criteria for cochlear implantation (CI) are undergoing gradual expansion. OBJECTIVES: To provide long-term hearing preservation (HP) results for partial deafness treatment (PDT) of a group of adults using electro-natural stimulation (ENS). METHODS: We examined a database of medical records of patients who underwent CI in a single ENT center. We identified 12 adults (3 men and 9 women) who fitted the PDT-ENS classification. To calculate HP, we used the -HEARRING consensus and conducted statistical analyses using SPSS v24. RESULTS: In the long-term follow-up, 7 of 12 patients had complete HP and the remaining 5 had partial HP. None of the patients experienced significant hearing impairment. A significant improvement in speech understanding in both quiet and noise conditions was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of minimally invasive surgery leads to excellent HP results in PDT-ENS patients, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of good speech discrimination which they would be unable to get from traditional hearing aids. Our findings support extending the inclusion criteria for CI to include this new group of patients who would otherwise obtain only limited benefit from conventional hearing aids.
Asunto(s)
Implantes Cocleares , Sordera/terapia , Terapia por Estimulación Eléctrica/métodos , Audición/fisiología , Cuidados Posoperatorios/métodos , Estimulación Acústica/métodos , Adolescente , Adulto , Niño , Sordera/fisiopatología , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Pruebas Auditivas , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Tiempo , Resultado del Tratamiento , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Some adolescents have hearing impairments characterized by normal or slightly elevated thresholds in the low and mid-frequency bands (below 1500 Hz) and nearly total deafness in the high frequency range. These patients often remain beyond the scope of effective hearing aid treatment. CASE REPORT: This study presents the case of a 16-year-old adolescent with good hearing in the range 125-1500 Hz and deafness at other frequencies. An implant was used to restore hearing at high frequencies, while preserving low and mid frequency acoustic hearing in the implanted ear. This is described as electro-natural stimulation (ENS) of the inner ear. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that low and mid frequency hearing (up to 1500 Hz) can be preserved using the round window surgical technique. A substantial improvement in speech discrimination was also observed when electrical stimulation on one side was combined with acoustic stimulation on both sides. There is scope to extend qualifying criteria for cochlear implantation to include adolescents who are suited to ENS.