• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.138-145
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the audiologic results after cochlear implantation (CI) in older patients and the degree of improvement in their quality of life (QoL). Subjects and Methods: Patients over 65 years old who underwent CI at implant center in Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital were included in this study (n=54; 34 males and 20 females). The control group was patient over 65 years old with normal hearing (n=54; 34 males and 20 females). We administered three questionnaires [World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), World Health Organization Quality of Life-OLD (WHOQOL-OLD)], and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to evaluate the QoL, CIrelated effects on activities of daily life, and social activities in all the subjects. Moreover, correlations between speech recognition and the QoL scores were evaluated. The duration of implant use and comorbidities were also examined as potential factors affecting QoL. Results: The patients had remarkable improvements (the mean score of postoperative speech perception 75.7%) in speech perception after CI. The scores for the WHOQOL-OLD and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire responses were similar in both the study and control groups, except those for a two subdomains (social relations and social participation). The patients with longer-term CI had higher scores than those with short-term CI use. In general, the changes in GDS scores were not significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: The treatment of hearing loss with CI conferred significant improvement in patient's QoL (p<0.01). The evaluation of QoL can provide multidimensional insights into a geriatric patient's progress and, therefore, should be considered by audiologists.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.193-196
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Facial nerve stimulation (FNS) is a complication of cochlear implantation (CI). This study compared the thickness and density of the bone separating the upper basal turn of the cochlea (UBTC) and the labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve (LSFN) on preoperative computed tomography (CT) in patients with and without FNS after CI. Subjects and Methods: Adult patients who underwent CI from January 2011 to February 2017 with preoperative CT at a tertiary referral hospital were considered for this retrospective case-control study. Patients were divided into two groups: with FNS (n=4) and without FNS (n=53). The density and thickness of the bone between the LSFN and UBTC were measured on preoperative CT. Charts were reviewed for other parameters. Results: A statistically significant difference was seen in the thickness (p=0.007) but not in the density (p=0.125) of the bone between the UBTC and LSFN. Four patients had FNS at the mid-range electrode arrays, and one of them additionally had FNS at the basal arrays. Conclusions: Decreased thickness of the bone between the UBTC and LSFN can explain postoperative FNS, confirming the histologic and radiologic findings in previous studies, which indicated that the thickness of the temporal bone between the LSFN and UBTC is less in patients who experience FNS. While the density in this region was also less, it was not statistically significant.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of revision cochlear implant (CI) surgery for better speech comprehension targeting patients with low satisfaction after first CI surgery. Subjects and Methods: Eight patients who could not upgrade speech processors because of an too early CI model and who wanted to change the whole system were included. After revision CI surgery, we compared speech comprehension before and after revision CI surgery. Categoies of Auditory Performance (CAP) score, vowel and consonant confusion test, Ling 6 sounds, word and sentence identification test were done. Results: The interval between surgeries ranged from eight years to 19 years. Same manufacturer's latest product was used for revision surgery in six cases of eight cases. Full insertion of electrode was possible in most of cases (seven of eight). CAP score (p-value=0.01), vowel confusion test (p-value=0.041), one syllable word identification test (p-value=0.026), two syllable identification test (p-value=0.028), sentence identification test (p-value=0.028) had significant improvement. Consonant confusion test (p-value=0.063), Ling 6 sound test (p-value=0.066) had improvement but it is not significant. Conclusions: Although there are some limitations of our study design, we could identify the effect of revision (upgrade) CI surgery indirectly. So we concluded that if patient complain low functional gain or low satisfaction after first CI surgery, revision (device upgrade) CI surgery is meaningful even if there is no device failure.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The present study aims to investigate whether the cochlear implant electrode array design affects the electrophysiological and psychophysical measures. Subjects and Methods: Eighty five ears were used as data in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups by the electrode array design: lateral wall type (LW) and perimodiolar type (PM). The electrode site was divided into three regions (basal, medial, apical). The evoked compound action potential (ECAP) threshold, T level, C level, dynamic range (DR), and aided air conduction threshold were measured. Results: The ECAP threshold was lower for the PM than for the LW, and decreased as the electrode site was closer to the apical region. The T level was lower for the PM than for the LW, and was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The C level on the basal region was lower for the PM than for the LW whereas the C level was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The DRs on the apical region was greater for the PM than for the LW whereas the DR was narrower on the apical region than on the other regions. The aided air conduction threshold was not different for the electrode design and frequency. Conclusions: The current study would support the advantages of the PM over the LW in that the PM had the lower current level and greater DR, which could result in more localized neural stimulation and reduced power consumption.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The present study aims to investigate whether the cochlear implant electrode array design affects the electrophysiological and psychophysical measures. Subjects and Methods: Eighty five ears were used as data in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups by the electrode array design: lateral wall type (LW) and perimodiolar type (PM). The electrode site was divided into three regions (basal, medial, apical). The evoked compound action potential (ECAP) threshold, T level, C level, dynamic range (DR), and aided air conduction threshold were measured. Results: The ECAP threshold was lower for the PM than for the LW, and decreased as the electrode site was closer to the apical region. The T level was lower for the PM than for the LW, and was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The C level on the basal region was lower for the PM than for the LW whereas the C level was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The DRs on the apical region was greater for the PM than for the LW whereas the DR was narrower on the apical region than on the other regions. The aided air conduction threshold was not different for the electrode design and frequency. Conclusions: The current study would support the advantages of the PM over the LW in that the PM had the lower current level and greater DR, which could result in more localized neural stimulation and reduced power consumption.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.193-196
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Facial nerve stimulation (FNS) is a complication of cochlear implantation (CI). This study compared the thickness and density of the bone separating the upper basal turn of the cochlea (UBTC) and the labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve (LSFN) on preoperative computed tomography (CT) in patients with and without FNS after CI. Subjects and Methods: Adult patients who underwent CI from January 2011 to February 2017 with preoperative CT at a tertiary referral hospital were considered for this retrospective case-control study. Patients were divided into two groups: with FNS (n=4) and without FNS (n=53). The density and thickness of the bone between the LSFN and UBTC were measured on preoperative CT. Charts were reviewed for other parameters. Results: A statistically significant difference was seen in the thickness (p=0.007) but not in the density (p=0.125) of the bone between the UBTC and LSFN. Four patients had FNS at the mid-range electrode arrays, and one of them additionally had FNS at the basal arrays. Conclusions: Decreased thickness of the bone between the UBTC and LSFN can explain postoperative FNS, confirming the histologic and radiologic findings in previous studies, which indicated that the thickness of the temporal bone between the LSFN and UBTC is less in patients who experience FNS. While the density in this region was also less, it was not statistically significant.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of revision cochlear implant (CI) surgery for better speech comprehension targeting patients with low satisfaction after first CI surgery. Subjects and Methods: Eight patients who could not upgrade speech processors because of an too early CI model and who wanted to change the whole system were included. After revision CI surgery, we compared speech comprehension before and after revision CI surgery. Categoies of Auditory Performance (CAP) score, vowel and consonant confusion test, Ling 6 sounds, word and sentence identification test were done. Results: The interval between surgeries ranged from eight years to 19 years. Same manufacturer's latest product was used for revision surgery in six cases of eight cases. Full insertion of electrode was possible in most of cases (seven of eight). CAP score (p-value=0.01), vowel confusion test (p-value=0.041), one syllable word identification test (p-value=0.026), two syllable identification test (p-value=0.028), sentence identification test (p-value=0.028) had significant improvement. Consonant confusion test (p-value=0.063), Ling 6 sound test (p-value=0.066) had improvement but it is not significant. Conclusions: Although there are some limitations of our study design, we could identify the effect of revision (upgrade) CI surgery indirectly. So we concluded that if patient complain low functional gain or low satisfaction after first CI surgery, revision (device upgrade) CI surgery is meaningful even if there is no device failure.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.235-243
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• 2007

Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (AR) is used in traditional oriental medicine for various medicinal purposes. However, the exact mechanism that accounts for the anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory effects of the AR is still not fully understood. The aim of The present study is to elucidate whether and how AR modulates the allergic reactions in vivo, and inflammatory reaction in vitro. In this study, we showed that AR significantly decreased compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis, paw oedema, and histamine release from preparation of rat peritoneal mast cells. Also, AR inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokine in PMA plus A23187-stimulated human mast cells (HMC-1). In addition, we showed that anti-inflammatory mechanism of AR is through suppression of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ activation $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$degradation. These results provided new insight into the pharmacological actions of AR as a potential molecule for therapy of inflammatory allergic diseases.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.75-83
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine how a singing program using self-voice monitoring for children with cochlear implants (CI) influences on the intonation and the accuracy of pitch production. To verify and estimate the effectiveness, a program was conducted with participants of 7 prelingual CI users, whose aged between 4 years and 7 years. The program adopted three stages from the self-voice monitoring: Listen, Explore, and Reproduce (LER stage). All participants received 8 singing sessions over 8 weeks, including pre-test, intervention, and post-test. For the pre and post-test, participants' singing of an excerpt of a song "happy birthday" and speaking three assertive sentences and three interrogative sentences were recorded and analyzed in terms of the intonation slopes at the end of the sentences and the melodic contour. From the sentence speeches, we found that the intonation slopes of the interrogative sentences significantly improved as they showed similar patterns with that of the average normal hearing group. Also, in regard to singing, we observed that the melody contour had progressed, as well as the range of pitch production had extended. The positive result from the intervention indicates that the singing program was effective for children with CI to develop the intonation skill and accuracy of pitch production.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.47-64
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• 2011

This study was to examine music preferences of school-aged cochlear implant(CI) recipients in comparison with normal hearing(NH) children. Participants were 12 CI recipients and 155 NH children. CI children were recruited from a hospital in Seoul and they had cochlear implants for longer than two years(M = 4.7). NH children were randomly sampled. All participants were asked to respond to a questionnaire and rate their music preferences. The results showed that while 58.33% of CI recipients preferred child voices, 71.61% of NH children preferred adult voices. For preferred frequency range, both of CI and NH groups preferred higher frequency. With regard to preferred musical styles, while CI children gave the highest rating(M = 3.58) to Korean folk songs on the 5-point Likert scale, popular music and TV and soundtrack music were found to be the highest-rated styles(M = 3.83) for NH children. These results indicate that self-rated music preferences of CI recipients may be affected by a musical environment that these children have experienced. The results also implies that the provision of appropriate musical input and experiences would significantly affect future music preferences and appreciation of CI children. Providing useful information about music preferences of CI recipients in comparison with NH children, this study has significant implications for further studies on this population.