Affiliation:
1. Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies (HRAC), Bauru
2. Politec Saúde, Barueri, SP, Brazil
Abstract
Introduction
Bone-conduction hearing device (BCHD) uses natural sound transmission through bone and soft tissue, directly to the cochlea, via an external processor that captures and processes sound, which is converted into mechanical vibrations. Key parameters, as maximum power output (MPO) and broader frequency range (FR), must be considered when indicating a BCHD because they can be decisive for speech recognition, especially under listening challenge conditions.
Objectives
Compare hearing performance and speech recognition in noise of two sound processors (SPs), with different features of MPO and FR, among BCHD users.
Materials and Methods
This single-blinded, comparative, observational study evaluated 21 individuals Baha 4 system users with conductive or mixed hearing impairment. The free-field audiometry and speech recognition results were blindly collected under the following conditions: unaided, with Baha 5, and with Baha 6 Max SP.
Results
In free-field audiometry, significant differences were observed between the SP at 0.25, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz, with Baha 6 Max outperforming Baha 5. The Baha 6 Max provided significantly better speech recognition than Baha 5 under all the speech in noise conditions evaluated. Separating the transcutaneous from the percutaneous users, Baha 6 Max Attract SP provided the best results and significantly lowered the free-field thresholds than Baha 5 Attract. The Baha 6 Max also significantly improved speech recognition in noise, among both Attract and Connect users.
Conclusion
The present study revealed that the greater MPO and broader FR of the Baha 6 Max device helped increase high-frequency gain and improved speech recognition in BCHD-experimented users.
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Subject
Neurology (clinical),Sensory Systems,Otorhinolaryngology
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献