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Testing was completed in quiet in a sound field using
recorded stimuli at a calibrated presentation level of 60 dB SPL (A-
weighted [SPL(A)]). The contralateral ear was either masked (cen-
ter 1) or plugged and muffed (center 2). Speech in noise was meas-
ured with the impaired ear-aided and the contralateral ear un-
occluded in a
1
5 dB SNR with speech at 65 dB SPL(A). Speech and
noise both originated from a single speaker at 0-degree azimuth.
Postoperatively, speech understanding in quiet was meas-
ured using a direct audio input (DAI) cable (center 1), or as
described above with the contralateral ear plugged and muffed
(center 2). Patients tested using DAI were asked to set the vol-
ume at a comfortable loudness level prior to starting the test.
Speech understanding in noise was tested in the aided bilateral
condition with the CI in place. All testing was completed using
an omnidirectional program with user settings. Each partici-
pant was administered one list per condition at each time inter-
val. Responses were recorded and scored by the experimenter.
All speech perception scores were calculated as percent correct.
Due to the combination of retrospective and prospective data,
not all participants completed testing at each time interval. Sta-
tistical analyses were completed using IBM SPSS Statistical
Package 21.0.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). An alpha level of
0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.
RESULTS
Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant Word
Understanding in Quiet
Performance on CNC word test was completed on
20 participants preoperatively and 13 participants at 3-
and 6-month postactivation intervals. Individual patient
scores for each time interval can be found in Figure 2.
Pediatric patients are represented with open symbols.
Mean CNC word scores were 11.3% (SD 15.6%) preoper-
atively, 48.7% (SD 24.2%) at the 3-month postactivation
interval, and 44.7% (SD 20.0%) at 6-month postactiva-
tion interval. The data were analyzed using a repeated
measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) using CNC
word score in percent correct as the dependent variable,
and test interval (preoperative, 3-month, and 6-month
TABLE I.
Participant Demographics.
Participant
Age at
Implantation (yrs)
Etiology of
Deafness
Duration of
Deafness (yrs)
AOI
Conversion
Device
1
5.8
Congenital
5.8
Med-El Synchrony Flex28
2
37.5
SSNHL
1.5
Med-El Concert Flex28
3
50.0
SSNHL
6.0
Med-El Concert Flex28
4
8.9
Congenital
8.9
Med-El Concert Flex28
5
9.5
Congenital
9.5
1
Med-El Concert Flex28
6
10.0
Progressive
4.0
1
Med-El Concert Standard
7
48.2
SSNHL
2.5
Med-El Concert Flex28
8
39.2
MD
3.0
AB HiFocus Mid-Scala
9
62.9
Iatrogenic p NSGY
0.5
Med-El Concert Flex28
10
31.9
SSNHL
1.5
Med-El Concert Flex28
11
52.0
SSNHL
1.0
Med-El Concert Flex28
12
39.3
SSNHL
11.0
Med-El Concert Flex28
13
38.6
SSNHL
1.0
Med-El Concert Flex24
14
49.5
Ear Sx
2.0
Cochlear Nucleus 422
15
47.3
Acoustic neuroma
0.9
Med-El Concert Flex28
16
35.0
Meningitis
0.8
Cochlear Nucleus 422
17
55.0
SSNHL
1.9
Cochlear Nucleus 422
18
55.1
SSNHL
1.0
Med-El Concert Flex24
19
15.0
SSNHL
1.0
Med-El Concert Flex28
20
11.4
Ear Sx
3.0
1
Cochlear CI24 RE(CA)
21
40.8
SSNHL
2.0
AB HiFocus Mid-Scala
22
50.0
Labyrinthitis
5.0
Cochlear Nucleus 422
23
60.9
SSNHL
2.0
Cochlear Nucleus 422
SSNHL
5
sudden sensorineural hearing loss; MD
5
Meniere’s Disease; Sx
5
surgery; p NSGY
5
after neurosurgical procedure; AOI
5
auditory osseoin-
tegrated implant; AB
5
Advanced Bionics Cochlear Corporation (NSW, Australia), Advanced Bionics (Valencia, CA, USA), Med-El (Innsbruck, Austria).
Fig. 2. Individual patient scores for CNC words in quiet for the
preoperative, 3-month, and 6-month postactivation test intervals.
Pediatric patients are represented with open symbols. CNC
5
consonant-nucleus-consonant.
Sladen et al.: Cochlear Implantation for SSD
157