OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS This study documents the importance of preserving residual low-frequency acoustic hearing as those with more residual hearing are selected for cochlear implantation. Surgical strategies used for hearing preservation with a short hybrid cochlear implant are outlined. The benefits of preserved residual low-frequency hearing, improved word understanding in noise, and music ap...

PURPOSE To examine the association of cognitive function, age, and hearing loss with clinically assessed hearing aid benefit in older hearing-impaired persons. METHODS Hearing aid benefit was assessed using objective measures regarding speech recognition in quiet and noisy environments as well as a subjective measure reflecting everyday situations captured using a standardized questionnaire. ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate prognostic factors in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). SUBJECTS AND METHODS From January 2007 to December 2011, a retrospective chart review identified 494 consecutive patients with ISSNHL. Demographic, audiometric, and clinical data were analyzed using a logistic regression test. RESULTS Hearing r...

PURPOSE Difficulty understanding speech in background noise is one of the most common complaints of hearing aid users. In modern hearing aids, directional microphones (d-mics) are considered the method of choice in improving signal-to-noise ratio, with demonstrated improvement in speech-perception-in-noise tasks. On the other hand, digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithms, in commercially avail...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the validity of cochlear implantation (CI) on prelingually deafened adults who have been trained by auditory-verbal/oral communication since childhood. METHODS Preoperative and postoperative data was investigated regarding the rehabilitation, hearing level, and educational experience of eight prelingually deafened adults. All eight patients were diagnosed with severe to ...