Acceptance and fitting of the DUET device - a combined speech processor for electric acoustic stimulation

Subjects with sufficient residual low-frequency hearing after cochlear implantation can benefit from electric acoustic stimulation (EAS). A combined speech processor (MED-EL DUET), which incorporates a hearing aid and a speech processor in one device, was designed especially for this group of patients. The present report evaluates the influence of postoperative pure tone audiometric results on personal acceptance of the DUET system in EAS users.

Fifteen subjects underwent cochlear implantation for EAS and hearing preservation was achieved at least partially. All were fitted with the DUET EAS hearing system. Personal acceptance (measured by whether or not they were using the DUET system) in combination with audiometric results were investigated over time.

The combined processor was accepted by the majority of the subjects. However, those who had initial or further loss of residual hearing of more than 55 dB at 125 Hz or more than 70 dB at 250 Hz and 98 dB at 500 Hz rejected the DUET device.

The combined processor enables subjects with sufficient hearing preservation in the low-frequency range up to 500 Hz to benefit from EAS. Acceptance is dependent on the pure tone audiometric outcomes after surgery and can vary with hearing loss progression.