Iowa Cochlear Implant Clinical Research Center Study of SSD Using Med-El Cochlear Implants

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to understand the speech perception in noise and in quiet and localization benefits in a laboratory setting in listeners that receive a cochlear implant in an ear with severe to profound hearing loss and have normal, or near-normal hearing in the opposite ear. We will also evaluate the functional benefit of restoring hearing to the impaired ear via questionnaires that subjects will be answering while listening in their natural environment.

Official Title
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Iowa Cochlear Implant Clinical Research Center Study of SSD Using Med-El Cochlear Implants

Conditions
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Hearing Loss, Unilateral, Hearing Loss, Profound

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Cochlear Implant


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Participants will be adults who utilize English as their primary language. Unilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss for a duration of at least 6 months (to ensure stability of hearing loss), but no greater than 10 years. Contralateral ear with normal, or near-normal, hearing. Poorer ear (ear to be implanted): severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, defined as pure-tone thresholds 70 dB HL or greater for the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz with monosyllabic word understanding, as measured using the CNC Word Test at 60 dBA under earphones, less than or equal to 20% Better ear (contralateral ear): normal or near-normal hearing defined as pure-tone thresholds no poorer than 30 dB HL at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz and no poorer than 40 dB HL at 4000 Hz with monosyllabic word understanding, as measured using the CNC Word Test at 60 dBA under earphones, of greater than or equal to 85%. Willingness to comply with all study requirements. Patent cochlea and normal cochlear anatomy. Exclusion Criteria: Medical or psychological conditions that contraindicate undergoing surgery. Ossification or any other cochlear anomaly that might prevent complete insertion of the electrode array. Unrealistic expectations on the part of the candidate and/or candidate's family, regarding the possible benefits, risks, and limitations that are inherent to the surgical procedure(s) and prosthetic devices. Unwillingness or inability of the candidate to comply with all investigational requirements. Active middle ear infection. Tinnitus primary motivation for implantation.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Adult Single-sided deafness<br>Adult subjects with unilateral single-sided deafness at least 6 months (to ensure stability of hearing loss), but no greater than 10 years will be implanted with a MED-EL Synchrony Cochlear Implant. | Device: Cochlear Implant<br>* adults with unilateral hearing loss who wish to regain bilateral hearing will be implanted with a cochlear implant on their deafened ear.<br>* Other names: MED-EL Synchrony;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in AzBio Sentences in Noise | The percent correct of words from a list of 20 Target AzBio sentences will be played from 0° azimuth. A list of AzBio sentences will be played in multitalker babble which will be presented in three different conditions: 0° azimuth, S0N90, or S0N270°. | Pre-operative baseline, 3, 6, 12 months post-activation | 
| Change in Localization | Testing with 16 sounds played randomly from 1 of 8 loudspeakers in a 108 degree arc will be completed with non-implanted ear alone and everyday listening condition at 60 dBA. Subjects will be asked to identify which loudspeaker presented the sound. The RMS error in degrees will be calculated. A lower number indicates better localization ability. | Pre-operative baseline, 3, 6, 12 months post-activation |