Acoustic component programming in children with cochlear implants using electrocochleography

Abstract

Objective

Objective measurements improve reliability and effectiveness of hearing assessment and cochlear implant (CI) programming in young children. In CI recipients with acoustic hearing in the implanted ear, electrocochleography (ECochG) can be conducted using intracochlear electrodes. The cochlear microphonic (CM) portion of ECochG has been shown to correlate with pure-tone audiometric thresholds in adult and paediatric CI recipients. Our goal was to determine if ECochG thresholds can be used to appropriately fit the acoustic component to the implanted ear in children.

Design

Prospective.

Study sample

Eight children (aged 3.5–15.5 years, 10 ears) implanted with Advanced Bionics HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode array were recruited. CI ear acoustic thresholds were measured behaviourally and via ECochG. Two acoustic component enabled CI programs were created using the two sets of thresholds. Age and language appropriate speech outcomes and subjective feedback were obtained.

Results

Speech scores were equivalent with the behavioural and ECochG thresholds programs. Subjectively, the ECochG thresholds program was preferred by 7/8 subjects. One subject preferred to use an electric only program.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that ECochG thresholds can be used to supplement the behavioural clinical methods and aid the reliable fitting of the acoustic component in paediatric CI recipients.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• electrocochleography (ECochG)
• CI programming
• paediatric

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by ECochG hardware and software loaned by Advanced Bionics, LLC. We are grateful to all the children and their families who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

Sarah Coulthurst, Alison Nachman and Michael Murray are full-time clinical audiologists at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital-Oakland, CA. They do not have any conflict of interest to report. Smita Agrawal and Kanthaiah Koka are research scientists and full-time employees of Advanced Bionics, LLC-the manufacturer of the technology used in this study.