Long-term results of partial deafness treatment

Treatment of the partial deafness is a great challenge in terms of preserving the preoperative hearing and complementing this hearing ability with an implant. It concerns the situations when hearing in low frequency range is normal or fully functional and it is only necessary to complement it electrically in the medium and high frequency ranges. The first in the world surgery during which an existing normal hearing had been electrically complemented was performed in 2002. It has shown a fresh direction in treatment of various partial hearing impairments. This achievement was possible due to our previous works on hearing preservation in the group of patients with marginal residual hearing. The long term observation (almost 15 years) and large material allow us to present the strategy of the partial deafness treatment and its results. During the ESPCI conference in Warsaw in 2009, PDT concept was announced, indicating groups for Acoustic Stimulation (AS) and Electric Stimulation (ES). ES patients can be divided on the following groups: Electrical Complement (PDT-EC), Electric Acoustic Stimulation (PDT-EAS), Electric Modified Stimulation (PDT-EMS), Electric Stimulation (PDT-ES). The differentiation between the groups is very important, because the groups are not equal and their goals in treatment and therapy are different. Concluding we can say that hearing was preserved in over 94% of cases, however, the results differ between the groups. Implementation of the partial deafness treatment (PDT) is connected with development and elaboration of special rehabilitation program for the specific groups of patients.