Effects of Round Window Opening Size and Moisturized Electrodes on Intracochlear Pressure Related to the Insertion of a Cochlear Implant Electrode
Intracochlear pressure changes during the cochlear implant insertion are assumed to be an important contributor to hearing preservation. The aim was to observe intracochlear pressure changes by different round window opening sizes and different hydrophilic electrode conditions. The experiments were performed in a cochlear model with a micropressure sensor in the helicotrema area. Different artificial round window membrane and different moisturized electrode conditions were compared. A punctured round window causes a significantly higher and an indirect moisturized electrode condition a significantly lower intracochlear pre...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - February 23, 2016 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Validation of the U-STARR with the AB-York Crescent of Sound, a New Instrument to Evaluate Speech Intelligibility in Noise and Spatial Hearing Skills
This study primarily assesses the validity and reliability of the U-STARR compared to the Plomp test, which is the current Dutch gold standard for speech-in-noise testing. The outcome of both tests is a speech reception threshold in noise (SRTn). Secondary outcomes are the SRTn measured with sounds from spatially separated sources (SISSS) as well as sound localization capability. We tested 29 normal-hearing adults and 18 postlingually deafened adult patients with unilateral cochlear implants (CI). This study shows that the U-STARR is adequate and reliable and seems better suited for severely hearing-impaired persons than t...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - February 9, 2015 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Validation of the U-STARR with the AB-York Crescent of Sound, a New Instrument to Evaluate Speech Intelligibility in Noise and Spatial Hearing Skills
This study primarily assesses the validity and reliability of the U-STARR compared to the Plomp test, which is the current Dutch gold standard for speech-in-noise testing. The outcome of both tests is a speech reception threshold in noise (SRTn). Secondary outcomes are the SRTn measured with sounds from spatially separated sources (SISSS) as well as sound localization capability. We tested 29 normal-hearing adults and 18 postlingually deafened adult patients with unilateral cochlear implants (CI). This study shows that the U-STARR is adequate and reliable and seems better suited for severely hearing-impaired persons than t...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - February 9, 2015 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Evaluation of Bone Tissue Formation in a Flat Surface Attachment of a Bone Conduction Implant: A Pilot Study in a Sheep Model
In this study, osseointegration of a flat passive BCI transducer dummy in sheep skulls was assessed using quantitative and qualitative histology as well as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and computed tomography (CT). The histology results were also related to the mechanical properties of the bone-to-implant interface. Eight months after the surgical implantation, histology sections of the bone close to the implant showed bone remodeling, compact bone and osseointegration. The histological findings corresponded well to the mechanical measurements indicating stiffer bone close to the implant and unaffected skull vibrat...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - December 24, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
School-Age Outcomes in Preterm Children Born with Risk Factors for Hearing Loss: Contralateral Suppression of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions
We investigated the effect of contralateral suppression of linear transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in 16 preterm children born with risk factors for hearing loss. We evaluated those children, together with a control group of term children, at 8–10 years of age. The magnitude of the TEOAE suppression effect in both ears was significantly smaller in the preterm children than in the term children (p < 0.05). There is increasing evidence of adverse school-age outcomes (including hearing loss) in preterm children. Such outcomes can interfere with the school performance of those infants. The TEOAE suppression ef...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Mapping Sites on Bone and Soft Tissue of the Head, Neck and Thorax at Which a Bone Vibrator Elicits Auditory Sensation
This study was designed to map the sites on the skin of the head, neck and thorax at which a clinical bone vibrator elicits auditory sensation. In 10 subjects with normal hearing, a bone vibrator delivering a 2000-Hz warble tone, at an intensity which was at least 5 dB below the intensity which elicited a sensation by air conduction over each site, was applied to 25 sites with an application force of 500 g. Auditory sensations were elicited at many soft tissue (underlying bone >1 cm below the skin) and osseous (bone (Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra)
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
A Comparison of Two Home Exercises for Benign Positional Vertigo: Half Somersault versus Epley Maneuver
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) frequently recurs after treatment, so a home exercise would be desirable. We designed a self-administered exercise, the half somersault, for home use. In this randomized single-blind study, we compare the efficacy of our exercise to self-administered Epley maneuvers in patients with BPPV. Subjects performed exercises twice while observed, were re-tested with the Dix Hallpike, and then reported on exercise use for 6 months. Outcome measures were the reduction of nystagmus intensity, tolerability of induced dizziness, and long-term efficacy. Both exercises resulted in a significant...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
GJB2 Variants and Auditory Outcomes among Filipino Cochlear Implantees
Conclusions: The prevalence of causal GJB2 variants in Filipino cochlear implantees is low (3.3%). Within this population, the allele frequency of the p.Val37Ile variant in patients and controls is >10%, which supports a nonpathogenic role for this variant. The low prevalence of GJB2 variants precluded any association testing with CI outcome, although our results suggest better auditory outcome with longer CI use. Future genetic studies within the Filipino population should be able to control for population admixture.Audiol Neurotol Extra 2013;3:1–8 (Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra)
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
FVB/NJ Mice Demonstrate a Youthful Sensitivity to Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Provide a Useful Genetic Model for the Study of Neural Hearing Loss
The hybrid mouse diversity panel (HMDP), a panel of 100 strains, has been employed in genome wide association studies (GWAS) to study complex traits in mice. Hearing is a complex trait and the CBA/CaJ mouse strain is a widely used model for age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The youthful sensitivity to noise and limited age-related hearing loss of the CBA/CaJ strain led us to attempt the identification of additional strains segregating a similar phenotype for our panel. FVB/NJ is part of the HMDP and has been previously described as having a similar ARHI phenotype to CBA/CaJ. For t...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Auditory Steady-State Response in the First Six Months of Life
Conclusion: The same threshold can be used as a normality reference for this age range, with distinct values for the different carrier frequencies. The influence of external auditory canal amplification should be taken into account.Audiol Neurotol Extra 2014;4:12-22 (Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra)
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Factors Contributing to Postural Sway in Patients with Diabetes in an In-Hospital Education Program
Conclusion: In patients with poorly controlled DM, postural sway was particularly associated with deterioration of motor nerve conduction study parameters represented by median nerve CMAP amplitude, tibial nerve CMAP conduction velocity, and peroneal nerve CMAP latency. A link between diabetic polyneuropathy, diabetes-related postural sway, and diabetes-related hearing loss was recognized.Audiol Neurotol Extra 2014;4:23-31 (Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra)
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Clinical and Microbiological Evaluation of an Extended-Wear Hearing Instrument
This study aimed to examine the integrity of the ear canal skin and its microbiological changes caused by an extended-wear hearing device. An extended-wear hearing device, Lyric2 (Phonak AG, Switzerland), which is the second generation of the Lyric device, was fitted to 52 ears of 27 subjects. A refit of the device was done for a selection of ears (n = 15) for which the initial fitting was interrupted (28 ears). A matching control group consisted of 10 ears of 10 subjects with no history of using any form of hearing aid for 3 months. The ear canal skin of ears fitted with the hearing device was inspected using an otoendosc...
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
Experiences and Results from Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Long Duration of Deafness
Conclusion: The overall hearing experience, deafness duration, and age at onset of deafness are important issues to consider prior to CI.Audiol Neurotol Extra 2014;4:46-55 (Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra)
Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - November 6, 2014 Category: Audiology Source Type: research
