Electrical partial stimulation for patients with normal low-frequency hearing.

Introduction and Objectives: Among patients with partial deafness, there is a group of patients with normal low-frequency hearing. They seem to hear well, but they have difficulty in doing professional work because of the poor speech intelligibility. They have tried to wear a hearing aid but have failed. The remaining method for these patients is cochlear implant and we wanted to study the following. 1. Is Electrical partial stimulation beneficial to hearing rehabilitation in language and music? 2. Hearing preservation results in this group. 3. Is there a subjective satisfaction with the patient after the operation? 4. Proper fitting method for Electrical partial stimulation Materials and Methods: From August 2012 to July 2017, data were retrospectively analyzed in 10 patients who underwent CI surgery in Soree Ear Clinic. Their hearing was normal at low frequencies and suddenly dropped to high frequencies. The age of the patients was 20-48 years. The mean age was 34.2 years (7 female and 3 male). We analyzed these data. Speech performance (syllable, sentence, HINT), music evaluation according to time before and after surgery. Hearing preservation rate (Correction by reduction of opposite hearing) Nijmegen cochlear implant questionnaire. (before and after surgery) and fitting results. Results: Electrical partial stimulation is effective for hearing rehabilitation for these partial deafness patients. Speech performance was improved and music score was maintained. Hearing preservation rate was 80% and residual hearing was well maintained over time. There were two patients with hearing loss, but the two patients were using EAS(hybrid) mode. Nijmegen cochlear implant questionnaire showed improved life quality especially self-esteem. The proper fitting method of Electrical partial stimulation was GAP. Conclusion: In patients with partial deafness, especially in patients with low frequency hearing, electrical partial stimulation can improve speech performance while preserving low frequency hearing and may be the best way to overcome the limitations of current CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]