Audiological results with the cochlear implant.

Audiological test results from 135 adult, profoundly deaf, single-electrode cochlear implant subjects are presented. Unaided, aided, and cochlear implant warble-tone and speech detection thresholds have been analyzed, as well as word, word stress, and environmental sound discrimination scores. Results indicate that implant thresholds are significantly better than aided thresholds at all frequencies tested and for speech detection. Also, word, word stress, and environmental sound discrimination scores are all significantly better with the implant than with a hearing aid. Although the implant does not provide speech discrimination, subjects report that it does provide valuable speech and sound awareness, which aids in speechreading and voice monitoring. A small group of subjects has shown that an an implant in the poorer ear can also be successfully combined with a hearing aid in the better ear. The audiological test results clearly show that the implant is a viable alternative for the profoundly deaf.