Week5.1

Question 1

What’s the difference between traditional and non-traditional fittings?

Answer 1

TRADITIONAL: similar HL in both ears, can accommodate “traditional” hearing aid options (e.g. ITE, BTE, etc.)

NON TRADITIONAL: something other than traditional hearing aid required in one or both ears

Question 2

What are three options for non-traditional amplification?

Answer 2

1) Cochlear implant (bilateral)
2) Cochlear implant (unilateral), traditional in other ear
3) Hybrid device
4) CROS/BiCROS
5) Bone Anchored Device
6) Middle Ear Implant

Question 3

Who is a candidate for non-traditional amplification?

Answer 3

1) severe/profound loss in 1 ear, no loss or addable in the other
2) severe-profound HL bilaterally
3) Outer ear/middle ear deformities
4) Conductive hearing loss
5) Significant asymmetrical HL
6) Sudden SN HL

Question 4

Talk to me about cochlear implants.

Answer 4

• Most recognizible NTA option
• surgically implanted one ear at a time
• do not have ear mold
• provide direct electrical stimulation to auditory nerve (bypassing damaged hair cells)

Question 5

Who is a candidate for cochlear implants?

Answer 5

CHILD: Bilateral severe/profound SNHL, must have tried traditional with minimal benefit, short-term auditory deprivation (1-4 years), functional auditory nerve

ADULT: good post-lingual skills, participate in post-surgery rehab, functioning auditory nerve

Question 6

Talk to me about hybrid cochlear implants

Answer 6

• Combination of traditional HI & C.I.
• for those with residual hearing at cochlea
• severe HF HL but good LF hearing
• stimulates bone & cochlear fluids, & electrical signals directly stimulate auditory nerve
• no problems with feedback, HF info sent directly through electrodes

Question 7

Talk to me about bimodal fitting

Answer 7

• Hearing instrument in 1 ear, cochlear implant in the other
• asymmetrical HL, each ear benefits from different thing

Question 8

Talk to me about CROS

Answer 8

• Contralateral Routing of Signal
• apptopriate w/normal hearing on one side and none on the other
• mic with transmitter sits on poor side
• receiver sits on better side, no mic
• signal transmitted wirelessly from poor to good
• eliminates head shadow effect
• improves SNR

Question 9

Talk to me about BiCROS

Answer 9

• Bilateral contralateral routing of signal
• hearing loss in one ear, unaidable loss in other
• signal mixed b/n HI and CROS
• microphone in both hearing instruments
• transmitter in unaidable ear sends info to receiver in aidable ear

Question 10

How is a bone anchored device different from normal hearing?

Answer 10

In normal hearing, sound goes through ear canal, into middle ear and vibrates fluid & hair cells of cochlea. In BAHA, apply force to the skull to vibrate the cochlea

Question 11

What are the various parts of a BAHA

Answer 11

1) Sound processor: capture sounds via mic, turn into vibrations
2) Abutment: transfers sound into mechanical vibrations from sound processor to implant
3) Titanium implant: placed in bone behind ear, transfers vibrations through bone directly to the cochlea

Question 12

Who is a candidate for a BAHA?

Answer 12

• External ear abnormalities
• Constant discharge
• Malformation of ossicles
• Single-sided deafness
• Large air-bone gap
• Unilateral HL
• One functional cochlea

Question 13

Talk to me about middle ear implants.

Answer 13

• A processor, receiver, & implant replace ME
  - processor: mic + amplifier + battery
  - receiver: produce electrical signal
  - implant: set against cochlea, replace ossicles