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RESULTS WITH A COMBINED DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC-ACOUSTIC STIMULATION

Marcus Schmidt1, Marek Polak1, Artur Lorens2, Katrien Vermeire3, Sue McDonald4, Silke Helbig5

1MED-EL Medical Electronics, Innsbruck, Austria/2Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw, Poland/3Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium/4Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom/5University ENT Hospital,Frankfurt, Germany

■ OBJECTIVES: The DUET is a combined device for EAS (combined electric-acoustic stimulation) users. The device combines a CI-speech processor with a hearing aid in one single unit. Design features regarding compression, frequency ranges, signal processing and fitting have been implemented based on previous experience from EAS studies or findings in related fields. The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of these design features in EAS users.

■ METHOD: A study with 12 EAS patients has been performed. Several design parameters and their effectiveness have been evaluated by conducting audiometric, speech perception, and loudness measurements.

■ RESULTS: DUET gives sufficient amplification, leads to nearnormal loudness perception and can improve music perception. Subjects report on increased user comfort, on improved telephone use.

■ CONCLUSION: The DUET EAS hearing system is an effective device for EAS users. While the design features examined in this study are proven to be effective; an ongoing learning process is expected with growing experience in this young topic of EAS. The DUET has flexibility in both the electric and acoustic part, to adapt to this learning process.