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Case report: top hearing performances of a postlingually deaf cochlear implant user
P O Bucher1, A Mathis, N De Min
1Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillocervical Surgery Division, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Switzerland.
Summary
This study presents exceptional hearing results in a postlingually deaf woman using cochlear implant systems. Her advanced speech understanding with multichannel intracochlear implants surpasses previous extracochlear devices.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- A postlingually deaf patient underwent two cochlear implant reimplantations.
- Initial device: Vienna type single-channel extra-cochlear electrode.
- Current device: Nucleus type multichannel intra-cochlear electrode.
Observation:
- The patient demonstrated significant improvements in lipreading with the initial device.
- She achieved good speech understanding through auditory means alone.
- Video recordings presented demanding hearing performances in test situations and phone calls.
Findings:
- The intra-cochlear system markedly surpassed the performance of the extra-cochlear system.
- The patient achieved a high level of open speech understanding.
- Her verbal hearing ability is comparable to individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Implications:
- Multichannel intra-cochlear cochlear implants offer superior auditory rehabilitation for postlingually deaf individuals.
- Advanced speech processing capabilities in cochlear implants can lead to near-normal hearing function.
- This case highlights the potential for significant functional hearing recovery and improved quality of life.