J Tinembart | PubMed Health

PubMed1999

Within-patient longitudinal speech reception measures with continuous interleaved sampling processors for ineraid implanted subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To assess within-subject changes in speech reception over time in a group of Ineraid subjects fitted with continuous interleaved sampling (CIS) wearable processors fabricated in Geneva. To compare asymptotic performance between CIS and Ineraid processors for the same subjects. DESIGN: Twelve patients, all users of the 4-channel Ineraid cochlear implant system for several years and with no previous experience of CIS processors in daily life, were equipped with Geneva Wearable Processors programmed to implement a high-rate CIS sound processing strategy using four to six channels. Their speech reception performance with CIS processors was monitored over a period of 1 yr with consonant and vowel identification tests. For comparison, speech reception performance also was measured with Ineraid processors before switching to CIS and after 6 mo of non-use of Ineraid processors. RESULTS: At fitting, CIS processors produced significantly better consonant identification but no better vowel identification. Subsequently, consonant and vowel scores with CIS processors improved progressively to asymptote after 6 mo of daily use. At 6 mo and beyond, performance with CIS processors was significantly superior to that obtained with Ineraid processors on both consonant and vowel identification tests. Control tests made with Ineraid processors after 6 mo of non-use of the device yielded results that were indistinguishable from those obtained before the study. CONCLUSIONS: The full potential of the CIS strategy is not revealed at fitting. Accumulation of daily experience provides significant improvements, asymptotic performance being reached after about 4 to 6 mo of use. All Ineraid users might greatly benefit from CIS processors.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

First field trials with a portable CIS processor for the Ineraid multichannel cochlear implant.

The continuous interleaved sampling (CIS) strategy is a promising sound processing strategy for multichannel cochlear implants which provides immediate improvements in speech recognition when tested on Ineraid users: patients with only a few hours of experience (in laboratory testing) with the CIS strategy score better than with the Ineraid prosthesis they used since they, were implanted. The goal of this study was to evaluate the benefits that can be gained by the use of the new strategy in every day life. Two patients, implanted with the Ineraid multichannel cochlear implant, were equipped with a portable numerical processor programmed to implement a high rate CIS strategy. Their speech recognition was evaluated periodically with consonant and vowel identification tests for more than 6 months of use. Tests were also made with the Ineraid processor during the same experimental sessions and patients were regularly interviewed about their experience. Performance with the portable CIS processor was superior or equal to that obtained previously in the laboratory with the same strategy. Both patients achieved the best scores in 6 years of cochlear implant use. Qualitative reports from the patients suggest that the CIS strategy can improve "hearing" performance of cochlear implant users in many important situations of every day life. Altogether, these results hold great promises for all users of the Ineraid multichannel cochlear implant.

Adult↗