The Listening Network and Cochlear Implant Benefits in Hearing-Impaired Adults.

Older adults with mild or no hearing loss make more errors and expend more effort listening to speech. Cochlear implants (CI) restore hearing to deaf patients but with limited fidelity. We hypothesized that patient-reported hearing and health-related quality of life in CI patients may similarly vary according to age. Speech Spatial Qualities (SSQ) of hearing scale and Health Utilities Index Mark III (HUI) questionnaires were administered to 543 unilaterally implanted adults across Europe, South Africa, and South America. Data were acquired before surgery and at 1, 2, and 3 years post-surgery. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models with visit, age group (18-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65+), and side of implant as main factors and adjusted for other covariates. Tinnitus and dizziness prevalence did not vary with age, but older groups had more preoperative hearing. Preoperatively and postoperatively, SSQ scores were significantly higher (Δ0.75-0.82) for those aged <45 compared with those 55+. However, gains in SSQ scores were equivalent across age groups, although postoperative SSQ scores were higher in right-ear implanted subjects. All age groups benefited equally in terms of HUI gain (0.18), with no decrease in scores with age. Overall, younger adults appeared to cope better with a degraded hearing before and after CI, leading to better subjective hearing performance.

[First two years of experience with BAHA: results in 12 patients]. / Primeros 2 años de experiencia en BAHA: resultados en 12 pacientes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe our first 2 years' experience following implementation of the BAHA program at our hospitals with special emphasis on the benefits and complications of use in each patient. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective review since the beginning of the programme at two Teaching Hospitals in 2004. Twelve patients were implanted with BAHA, and their complications are described, along with hearing loss and their audiological gain with the hearing aid. RESULTS: Eleven patients with BAHA completed the follow-up. The average age was 31.6 +/- 18.9 years, and their average conductive hearing loss of was 45.5 dB with an audiological gain of 33.6 dB. We had one patient with a minor complication (mild infection of the skin flap) and another with a major one (loss of the titanium implant). CONCLUSIONS: The BAHA programme started in 2004 has generated good results in terms of positive audiological data, patient acceptance and low complication rates.

Primeros 2 años de experiencia en BAHA: resultados en 12 pacientes / First two years of experience with BAHA: results in 12 patients

Objetivo: Describir la experiencia durante los primeros 2 años de implementación del programa de BAHA en nuestras instituciones, puntualizando los beneficios en cada paciente y las complicaciones con su uso. Material y método: Estudio retrospectivo desde el inicio del programa en el 2004 en 2 hospitales universitarios sobre 12 pacientes implantados con BAHA; se describe las complicaciones, su déficit auditivo y su ganancia audiológica con el audífono. Resultados: once pacientes con BAHA completaron el seguimiento, con un promedio de edad de 31,6 ± 18,9 años, con un déficit auditivo conductivo de 45,5 dB en promedio y una ganancia de 33,6 dB, una complicación menor (infección menor del colgajo) y una mayor (pérdida del implante de titanio). Conclusiones: Adelantamos un programa de BAHA con buenos resultados audiológicos, buena aceptación de los pacientes y baja tasa de complicaciones

Objective: To describe our first 2 years’ experience following implementation of the BAHA program at our hospitals with special emphasis on the benefits and complications of use in each patient. Material and method: Retrospective review since the beginning of the programme at two Teaching Hospitals in 2004. Twelve patients were implanted with BAHA, and their complications are described, along with hearing loss and their audiological gain with the hearing aid. Results: Eleven patients with BAHA completed the follow-up. The average age was 31.6 ± 18.9 years, and their average conductive hearing loss of was 45.5 dB with an audiological gain of 33.6 dB. We had one patient with a minor complication (mild infection of the skin flap) and another with a major one (loss of the titanium implant). Conclusions: The BAHA programme started in 2004 has generated good results in terms of positive audiological data, patient acceptance and low complication rates