Speech understanding with CI in the long-term view in patients with auditory neuropathy (perisynaptic audiopathy)

Introduction:

Repeatedly speech understanding among patients with auditory neuropathy and CI is discussed – partly because the origin for this hearing disorder has not yet been clarified.

Materials and methodology:

We report on a retrospective study consisting of a collective of 22 patients with auditory neuropathy (children and adults) who were treated with a cochlear implant between 1997 and 2017. All patients received a complete ERA and OAE examination as well as a CT/MRI immediately prior to surgery.

Result:

With CI, 8 patients achieve an average or above average score after more than 2 years of CI use. 3 pediatric patients have only had cochlea implants 1.5 years ago, therefore comparable results are not yet available. 6 patients achieve hearing without satisfactory speech understanding.

Discussion:

The consultation and neuropediatric examination is of importance for the patients and the parents of the children with diagnostically proven auditory neuropathy (pathological BERA with simultaneously detectable cochlear function). The overwhelming number of those affected benefit from the electrically artificial stimulation of the CI. The results are worse when compared to patients without auditory neuropathy.

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
18. April 2018 (online)