Rehabilitation of telephone communication in cochlear-implanted adults.

OBJECTIVES: Telephone use correlates with quality of life, and is one of the most important expectations of cochlear implant candidates. The aim of the present study was to assess the benefit of a progressive intensive 18-session training program, conducted by telephone in cochlear implant recipients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine cochlear-implanted adults underwent telerehabilitation focused on telephone use, with before-and-after assessment of: auditory performance, on Lafon monosyllabic words and MBAA sentences in quiet, cocktail-party noise and by phone; telephone use, on ad-hoc surveys and number of calls per week; and quality of life on ERSA and APHAB questionnaires. RESULTS: Before training, monosyllabic word comprehension was poorer by telephone than by direct voice (64±5.7% vs. 26±5.3%; P<0.05). After the 6-week training, there was improvement in the "note taking" telephone message task (85.0±3.7 vs. 50.0±9.0 out of 100; P<0.001), daily phone use (57.0±4.3 vs. 29±5.4 out of 100; P<0.0001), and number of calls in the week before assessment (0.0±0.0 vs. 11.0±3.0; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: A progressive intensive training program by telephone improved phone use in the daily life of cochlear-implanted adults.

Replantation of the radial side of the hand in the rhesus monkey: anatomical and functional aspects. A preliminary study to composite tissue allografting.

Before human hand transplantation can even be considered, an appropriate research model must be studied in a non-human primate. The first ray of the hand, augmented with a radial forearm flap, was chosen as a functional composite tissue graft. Four technically successful replantation of the radial unit have been carried out. One monkey died on the first post-operative day due to cardiac arrythmia. Normal wound healing occurred in the other three animals. In three monkeys, functional sensory and motor recovery was almost complete. The monkeys were able to pick up small particles of food with the index finger and thumb. It is suggested that this model could be used for allogeneic composite tissue transplantation in a non-human primate.