Clinical use of a system for the automated recording and analysis of electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) in cochlear implant patients.

CONCLUSION

The CustomSoundEP software can record ECAP traces in an automated manner and calculate the ECAP threshold from them. These values are in good agreement with those determined by audiologists. Manual optimization measurements, as needed when using the predecessor version 3 of the software, are done by the software itself in the newer system.

OBJECTIVES

The programming of a cochlear implant speech processor is usually carried out in a subjective manner, influenced by the audiologist and the subject, and it takes considerable time. With increasing numbers of patients there is a growing need for a rapid and reliable technique to measure and analyse neural responses - one which could give suggestions for programming the speech processor and thus shorten the fitting procedure.

METHODS

In 30 patients, ECAP responses were recorded postoperatively in an automated procedure. ECAP thresholds were determined automatically by the AutoNRT(TM) (Automatic Neural Response Telemetry) software and visually by seven persons.

RESULTS

The time required to determine a TECAP threshold for a single electrode contact was found to be between 0.5 and 1 min.