Bilateral hearing aid use is feasible in patients with well-preserved hearing who struggle to acclimate to combined electro-acoustic (hybrid) stimulation

Abstract

Objective

This report presents a case study of a patient who resumed bilateral hearing aid use after nearly four years of limited progress and subjective dissatisfaction with a hybrid cochlear implant device.

Design

Case study.

Study Sample

One patient.

Results

The patient’s post-operative objective and subjective abilities with bilateral hearing aids were better than with a hybrid cochlear implant and contralateral hearing aid.

Conclusions

Although the benefits of combined acoustic and electric hearing have been well-documented, this report presents a solution for those with well-preserved hearing and poor hybrid cochlear implant performance: returning to bilateral hearing aid use.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• hearing aid
• speech understanding
• noise
• hearing preservation

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no financial interest or benefit as a result of this research.

The content of this article does not represent the views of the United States government or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by NIH P50DC00242 and UL1TR002537.