Hearing improvement and influence of hearing deprivation time on speech perception in cochlear implant users

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To evaluate speech perception improvement in the absence and presence of competing noise; to evaluate, after three months using a cochlear implant, whether there was a correlation between speech perception in these two conditions, and to correlate the time of hearing deprivation and the implanted side with speech perception in the absence and presence of noise.

Methods

Twelve individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss who underwent cochlear implant surgery participated in this clinical trial. Speech perception was assessed using the Lists of Phrases in Portuguese test, using the Opti Omni directionality, in situations of absence and presence of competing noise.

Results

Speech perception with the use of Opti Omni directionality in the absence and presence of competing noise increased when compared with preoperative speech perception; these findings were not associated with hearing deprivation time or implanted side.

Conclusion

There was an improvement in speech perception both in the absence and presence of competing noise, with a strong correlation between these two situations. Besides, there was no association between time of hearing deprivation without the use of hearing aid, or the implanted side, with performance in speech perception.

Keywords:
Cochlear implant; Speech discrimination tests; Sensory deprivation; Speech intelligibility; Deafness