Search

Objective: To demonstrate the long-term benefits of implantation in patients with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, this report provides 5-year follow-up on a group of implant recipients who were subjects of the Cochlear™ Nucleus ® Hybrid™ L24 Implant System pivotal clinical study., Methods: The results of three related clinical studies were compiled to provide outcome data after 1, 3, and 5 years of implant use in a group of subjects who presented with preoperative high-frequency hearing loss and were implanted with a Nucleus Hybrid L24 (Cochlear Ltd., Sydney, Australia) cochlear implant. A subset of the 50 adult subjects (N = 32) who participated in the Hybrid L24 pivotal Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) completed comprehensive evaluations at 12 months postactivation, 3 years postactivation, and then as part of a postapproval study at 5 years postactivation. Testing included audiometric, speech perception, and subjective satisfaction measures., Results: Mean unilateral speech perception performance was significantly improved at all postoperative intervals compared to preoperative best-aided results and has remained stable to 5 years postactivation. Ninety-four percent of subjects had measurable hearing, and 72% continued to use electric-acoustic stimulation in the implanted ear after 5 years of implant use. Subjective satisfaction results support objective performance improvements., Conclusion: Results demonstrate long-term success of patients with high-frequency hearing loss following Hybrid L24 (Cochlear) cochlear implantation. Benefits include speech perception abilities significantly better than those in the preoperative best-aided condition, with additional benefit in those using electric-acoustic stimulation in the implanted ear., Level of Evidence: 2b. Laryngoscope, 1939-1945, 2018., (© 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objectives/hypothesis: To report the preliminary results of the Ototronix MAXUM middle ear implant for treatment of severe high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Methods: Six consecutive ears with severe high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (≥75 dB HL at 2, 3, and 4 kHz) and poor aided word recognition performance (≤60% single words) underwent implantation of the MAXUM system at a single, private otologic referral center. Primary outcome measures included frequency-specific functional gain and word recognition score improvement compared to optimally fitted hearing aids., Results: Six ears, in four adult patients (two female; median age 67.5 years) were included. The median unaided preoperative high-frequency pure-tone average (HFPTA) (2, 3, and 4 kHz) was 80.0 dB (range, 75.0-85.0 dB), and the median best-aided word recognition score was 48.0% (range, 24%-60%). The median HFPTA functional gain with the MAXUM system was 47.2 dB, a 25.0 dB improvement (range, 16.7-33.3 dB) (P = .03) over optimally fit hearing aids, and the median word recognition score with MAXUM was 81.5%, a 42.0% improvement (range, 20%-48%) (P = .03) with the MAXUM middle ear implant over optimally fitted hearing aids., Conclusions: These preliminary data demonstrate that the MAXUM middle ear implant provides superior functional gain and word recognition scores in quiet for patients with severe high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss compared to optimally fitted hearing aids. Future studies with greater patient numbers and patient reported outcome measures are needed to confirm these promising but preliminary results., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 126:2124-2127, 2016., (© 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

High frequency conductive hearing loss can result from partial obstruction of the external auditory canal, ear canal "collapse," or partial ossicular discontinuity. This report describes the evaluation and management of an unusual case of partial ossicular discontinuity with resultant high frequency conductive hearing loss.