Hearing implantation involves the use of special devices for improving hearing. These devices are electroacoustic devices capable of receiving and amplifying sound signals.
They consist of a microphone. It takes sounds and converts them into electrical signals, an electronic amplifier, a power source and a phone. The latter can transmit sound by air or bone.
Types of hearing disorders
The hearing problem in the modern world has grown younger. Earlier, older people addressed the audiologist, but now there is a tendency to increase young patients with similar disorders. Not always even the most innovative devices can help a person.
There are three main forms of hearing loss when hearing aid can help:
- Sensorineural hearing loss. Occurs when the finish of nerve cells in the ear stops or on the areas of the brain responsible for hearing.
- Conductive hearing loss. Violation occurs due to problems with the mechanical conduct of sound waves in the outer or inner ear.
- The mixed form combines the two described above.
Indications
General indications are:
- Irreversible hearing impairment when their correction by drugs and surgically is impossible.
- Children under the age of one with severe or deep hearing loss, difficulty in accurately measuring hearing thresholds.
- When conducting a one-sided cochlear implantation.
The procedure is shown depending on the species from an early age. Some operations are carried out from 3 months of age, after the detection of hearing impairment and diagnosis.
An important feature is that the prosthesis should be performed as soon as possible after hearing loss, and in newborns up to 6 months of life. Delayed prosthetics in childhood can lead to irreversible effects on hearing and general development.
On modern hearing technology in our video:
hearing aids They amplify the sound several times and simulate it. When choosing are taken into account:
- specifications,
- type of hearing impairment,
- cosmetic wishes.
The conductivity of hearing can be provided by fluctuating air or bone vibrations. The first type is applied when only hearing is disturbed, but its perception remains normal. Apparatus working on the principle of bone oscillation, can be used for different types of pathology.
BTE species are classic. In Germany, they are installed in 75% of people with difficulties in perceiving sounds. In such models, the phone, microphone and electronics are placed in a strictly designated place.
In the in-the-ear devices, all the components are combined separately and built into a special case, which is made on the impression of the external auditory canal of the patient.
BTE and in-the-ear devices are prescribed for hearing loss of 1-3 degrees. With a severe form of the disease, the intra-eared species reaches its limits, as the proximity of the main parts does not allow obtaining a large gain without feedback.
The advantages of the BTE are:
- Sufficient power.
- Ability to carry out multi-functional control of electro-acoustic properties.
- The microphone and receiver are separated, which reduces parasitic feedback.
The drawbacks are that patients with pronounced deafness of the headphones should densely enter the canal. You also need to acquire skill in handling.
In-the-ear options are more attractive externally, give better amplification at high frequencies and have improved localization of the sound source. But their audio range is limited, and because of the small size they have less functional settings.
Types of hearing aids
Implantable devices
They install a miniature vibrator that generates sound vibrations. It is fixed to the anvil and leads to its oscillations, analogous to the input signal. These oscillations are transmitted along the stirrup and propagate further in a natural way.
The radio receiver is added to the device, which is implanted under the skin. It detects radio signals from the transmitter, which is placed outside the receiver. The latter is held by a magnet placed on the receiver. There are also implants of a new generation that do not have external elements.
This method of exposure is applied when there is an unsatisfactory result after the performed operations. Use them and patients who do not fit other hearing aids. It is prescribed most often to people with conductive or mixed hearing loss.
The advantages include:
- Possibility of carrying out the operation in childhood.
- No possibility of implant loss or pressure on the scalp.
- Ability to configure individually by audio program.
Technologies of bone conduction hearing aids:
Cochlear implant
This device allows to replace the usual function of the ear. With its use, the auditory function is restored. Unlike a conventional hearing aid, the implant transfers electrical stimuli directly to the auditory nerve.
One part is placed under the skin at the level of the auditory nerve. It consists of a receiver, electrodes, stimulating the auditory nerve. The receiver itself can be made of titanium or ceramic. The external component is represented by the processor, which is located behind the ear. It consists of a microphone and a device for processing sounds.
Indication for use is:
- Bilateral hearing loss,
- Sensorine deafness of severe and deep degree.
- Hearing loss before speech skills and deafness up to 6 years.
- Adults with moderate or severe hearing loss for a period not exceeding 20 years.
The surgeon makes an incision above and behind the ear during the installation, prepares approach paths to the drum preparation, organizes the place where the receiver will be placed.
To the virtues is that a person begins to perceive more sounds emanating from the external environment. He can clearly hear his voice, use the phone. The device is implanted for life or for a long time.
The disadvantages include the possibility of the emergence of postoperative infection, the appearance of an injury to the facial nerve. Possible development of otitis media, meningitis and noise in the ears.
Cochlear implant
Binaural hearing aid
This kind is often used for children in the absence of contraindications. The latter include pronounced vestibular dysfunctions, cochlear abnormalities.
It is believed that the use of different devices at once on two ears is more effective than one-sided. Such a variety provides:
- better quality of life,
- improved speech understanding,
- sound source localization,
- less fatigue.
Reduces the negative impact of ambient noise. The main factor for binaural hearing restoration is that several people have retained binaural skills. To obtain a positive prognosis in children, intensive stimulation should be performed regularly, especially in the first years of life.
Indication is the hearing loss of noise etiology, symmetrical hearing loss, asymmetric hearing loss. The disadvantages are that there are relative contraindications. These include manipulation problems of patients, the presence of a flat audiogram or retrochlear disease.
Simplified scheme for binaural prosthetics
Prosthetics of auditory ossicles
This method is used to improve the hearing of people who suffer from chronic otitis media. The operation is shown for other problems:
- tumors,
- disorders in the chain of auditory ossicles,
- violations of the integrity of the tympanic membrane.
The advantages include the ability to restore the auditory ossicles with prosthetic devices from cartilage, plastic, metal. At the same time, accompanying activities can also be carried out. For example, when two surfaces coalesce, the tympanic membrane can be reconstructed.
The prognosis for hearing restoration is positive if etiology is established. There are no age limits for manipulation, but the issue of effectiveness and risks is being addressed to a greater extent for the elderly.
Teflon prosthesis installation:
Is it possible to completely restore hearing,
predictions? Depending on the reason, it is possible to restore hearing with the help of special devices. In this case, the forecast is made taking into account the underlying disease. Full recovery is possible with the complete elimination of the factors of negative influence.
Recommendations for adapting
Adapting to hearing aids can be lengthy and can vary from a few days to several months. It depends on the age, individual adaptive capabilities. The most difficult to get used to kids and the elderly. The earlier the prosthesis is performed, the more effect from it is to be expected.
For children compulsory are the lessons with the guardian. In the process of training, a specialist will be able to determine how correctly the device is set up and give its recommendations. In adults and children at the stage it is estimated:
- Compensation degree of perception impairment
- Features of speech intelligibility.
- Presence of natural perception of sounds.
If there was a surgical operation, during the rehabilitation period there will be a number of contraindications. For example, you should not allow water to enter the ear, make flights or excessive physical exertion.