Aragonés Redó María, Pla Gil Ignacio, Pérez-Carbonell Tomàs, Espina González Clara, Morant Ventura Antonio, Marco Algarra Jaime
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Spain; Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Spain; Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp (Engl Ed). 2025 Jan-Feb;76(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.otoeng.2024.05.002. Epub 2024 May 24.
Sound localization plays a crucial role in our daily lives, enabling us to recognize voices, respond to alarming situations, avoid dangers, and navigate towards specific signals. However, this ability is compromised in patients with Single-Sided Deafness (SSD) and Asymmetric Hearing Loss (AHL), negatively impacting their daily functioning. The main objective of the study was to quantify the degree of sound source localization in patients with single-sided deafness or asymmetric hearing loss using a Cochlear Implant (CI) and to compare between the two subgroups.
This was a prospective, longitudinal, observational, single-center study involving adult patients diagnosed with profound unilateral or asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss who underwent cochlear implantation. Sound localization was assessed in a chamber equipped with seven speakers evenly distributed from -90º to 90º. Stimuli were presented at 1000 Hz and intensities of 65 dB, 70 dB, and 75 dB. Each stimulus was presented only once per speaker, totaling 21 presentations. The number of correct responses at different intensities was recorded, and angular error in degrees was calculated to determine the mean angular distance between the patient-indicated speaker and the speaker presenting the stimulus. Both assessments were conducted preoperatively without a cochlear implant and two years post-implantation.
The total sample comprised 20 patients, with 9 assigned to the SSD group and 11 to the AHL group. The Preoperative Pure Tone Average (PTA) in free field was 31.7 dB in the SSD group and 41.8 dB in the AHL group. There was a statistically significant improvement in sound localization ability and angular error with the use of the cochlear implant at all intensities in both SSD and AHL subgroups.
Cochlear implantation in patients with SSD and AHL enhances sound localization, reducing mean angular error and increasing the number of correct sound localization responses.
声音定位在我们的日常生活中起着至关重要的作用，使我们能够识别声音、应对警报情况、避免危险并朝着特定信号导航。然而，单侧耳聋（SSD）和非对称听力损失（AHL）患者的这种能力会受到损害，对他们的日常功能产生负面影响。本研究的主要目的是使用人工耳蜗（CI）量化单侧耳聋或非对称听力损失患者的声源定位程度，并比较这两个亚组。
这是一项前瞻性、纵向、观察性单中心研究，涉及被诊断为重度单侧或非对称感音神经性听力损失并接受人工耳蜗植入的成年患者。在一个配备有七个扬声器的房间内评估声音定位，扬声器从 -90° 到 90° 均匀分布。以1000Hz的频率和65dB、70dB和75dB的强度呈现刺激。每个刺激在每个扬声器上仅呈现一次，总共21次呈现。记录不同强度下的正确反应次数，并计算以度为单位的角度误差，以确定患者指示的扬声器与呈现刺激的扬声器之间的平均角距离。这两项评估均在术前未植入人工耳蜗时以及植入后两年进行。
总样本包括20名患者，其中9名被分配到SSD组，11名被分配到AHL组。SSD组术前自由场纯音平均听阈（PTA）为31.7dB，AHL组为41.8dB。在SSD和AHL亚组中，使用人工耳蜗后，在所有强度下声音定位能力和角度误差均有统计学上的显著改善。
对SSD和AHL患者进行人工耳蜗植入可增强声音定位，减少平均角度误差并增加正确声音定位反应的次数。
