Precision Implantation of Cutting-Edge Hybrid Hearing Devices Stabilises Residual Hearing
Precision surgical implantation of electrodes for the electric-acoustic stimulation of the inner ear can stabilise the long-term residual hearing of severely hearing-impaired people and significantly improve their speech recognition. These are the findings of a study carried out by Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in Krems. The research, which has been published in an international journal, involved carrying out 18 complex operations on patients, who received cochlear implants using a procedure that leaves the anatomy of the inner ear virtually unaltered. The cutting-edge treatment enabled some of the patients to retain their residual hearing, allowing for supplementary acoustic stimulation in addition to electrical stimulation.