Introduction Preoperative Direct-Drive-Simulation (DDS) simulates the sound of “Vibroplasty-Hearing”
to vibroplasty-candidates. The direct-drive-pure-tone-audiometry (DD-PTA), direct-drive-speech-audiometry
(DD-SA) and direct-drive-ABR (DD-ABR) as further developments of the DDS are new audiometric
tools. This study shows the first results of vibroplasty-candidates and attempts to
proof the reliability of the DDS even in case of mixed and conductive hearing loss.
Material und Methods 15 vibroplasty-candidates performed DDS, DD-PTA, DD-SA and DD-ABR. Candidates suffered
from mixed, conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. The Results were compared with
the results of standard audiometry. DD-ABR thresholds were related to DD-PTA thresholds.
DD-PTA and DD-SA were performed with and without masking in 10 cases.
Results The DD-PTA threshold was close to the air conduction threshold of standard audiometry
and congruent to the speech recognition threshold of DD-SA (50% numbers). DD-ABR threshold
lay approximately 10dB higher than DD-PTA threshold. DD-PTA and DD-SA where independent
from masking.
Discussion Congruent results in DD-PTA, DD-SA and DD-ABR in patients with different hearing
loss show the reliability of the new audiometric tools, which before was only shown
in normal hearing listeners. The DD-ABR threshold proofs, that DDS is possible even
in case of conductive or mixed hearing loss. To our knowledge, these audiometric measurements
are the first masking-independent audiometric tools. Further research will show how
far these new measurements have predictive value concerning the hearing results of
vibroplasty candidates.
Poster-PDF
A-1506.PDF
