Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Electrically Evoked Stapedius Reflex Measurements in Cochlear Implantation and Its Application in the Postoperative Fitting Process
Published on: June 21, 2024
Environmental Sound Awareness in Experienced Cochlear Implant Users and Cochlear Implant Candidates
Kevin R McMahon1, Aaron C Moberly1, Valeriy Shafiro2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
Objective:
To determine if postlingually deaf adult cochlear implant (CI) users have better environmental sound awareness (ESA) compared with adult patients eligible for CIs who have not yet undergone implantation.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional cohort study.
Setting:
Tertiary referral center.
Patients:
A group of 39 postlingually deaf adult patients who are experienced CI users (ECI), and a group of 20 postlingually deaf adult patients who are cochlear implant candidates (CIC) awaiting implantation.
Intervention:
Cochlear implantation.
Main Outcome Measure:
Environmental sound awareness as measured by accuracy (percent correct) using the computerized, Familiar Environmental Sounds Test-Identification (FEST-I).
Results:
There was no significant difference between ESA in our sample of ECI users versus CIC patients. The ECI users scored an average FEST-I accuracy of 59.9% (SD 14.3). In comparison, the CICs had an average FEST-I accuracy of 54.7% (SD 26.4). This difference was not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that, despite the commonly held notion that improved ESA may be a benefit of cochlear implantation, our sample of ECI users did not demonstrate superior performance compared with CICs.
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