A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments
ABSTRACT Objective Conventional hearing aids (HAs) and bone conduction devices have limitations in providing clear and audible sound in some cases and situations. The clinicians' primary purpose is to enhance audibility and intelligibility in hearing, offering a solution for users dissatisfied...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70089 |
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| author | Hassan Alshehri Medhat Yousef Anas Ibrahim Yassin Abdelsamad Farid Alzhrani |
| author_facet | Hassan Alshehri Medhat Yousef Anas Ibrahim Yassin Abdelsamad Farid Alzhrani |
| author_sort | Hassan Alshehri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Objective Conventional hearing aids (HAs) and bone conduction devices have limitations in providing clear and audible sound in some cases and situations. The clinicians' primary purpose is to enhance audibility and intelligibility in hearing, offering a solution for users dissatisfied with current hearing technologies. This study proposes a novel hybrid system and investigates its performance compared to HAs. Methods This pilot study compares the performance of a novel hybrid system with traditional HAs. Ten HA users underwent a prospective intra‐subject study at a tertiary hearing center. Audiological tests measured unaided and aided thresholds across specific frequencies in two conditions (HAs and Hybrid system). Furthermore, subjective outcomes were assessed via a questionnaire on the perceptual consequences. Results The patient's mean age was 36 years. The mean PTA4 values were 63.75, 40.74‐, and 37.88‐dB HL in the unaided, HA‐aided, and Hybrid‐aided groups, respectively. The speech reception thresholds varied significantly between the unaided and (i) aided using HA (p = 0.0009) and (ii) aided using the Hybrid solution (p = 0.0001). There is no significant variation between HA and Hybrid solutions (p < 0.4195). The mean SDS at 65 dB using the HA and Hybrid solution was 87% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion The proposed Hybrid system, combining conventional air‐conduction HAs with bone‐conduction devices, offers promising improvements in sound quality and user satisfaction. Further studies are essential to fully understand the Hybrid system's capabilities and evaluate its ability to avoid the dissatisfaction that could result from HA in some instances. Level of Evidence Prospective cohort study (Level 3). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-afdd0045a9e4468e91c89ab8636e8a88 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2378-8038 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology |
| spelling | doaj-art-afdd0045a9e4468e91c89ab8636e8a882025-08-20T02:45:14ZengWileyLaryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology2378-80382025-02-01101n/an/a10.1002/lio2.70089A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing ImpairmentsHassan Alshehri0Medhat Yousef1Anas Ibrahim2Yassin Abdelsamad3Farid Alzhrani4King Salman Hospital, Ministry of Health Riyadh Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah Ear Specialist Center (KAESC), College of Medicine, King Saud University Riyadh Saudi ArabiaMED‐EL GmbH Riyadh Saudi ArabiaMED‐EL GmbH Riyadh Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah Ear Specialist Center (KAESC), College of Medicine, King Saud University Riyadh Saudi ArabiaABSTRACT Objective Conventional hearing aids (HAs) and bone conduction devices have limitations in providing clear and audible sound in some cases and situations. The clinicians' primary purpose is to enhance audibility and intelligibility in hearing, offering a solution for users dissatisfied with current hearing technologies. This study proposes a novel hybrid system and investigates its performance compared to HAs. Methods This pilot study compares the performance of a novel hybrid system with traditional HAs. Ten HA users underwent a prospective intra‐subject study at a tertiary hearing center. Audiological tests measured unaided and aided thresholds across specific frequencies in two conditions (HAs and Hybrid system). Furthermore, subjective outcomes were assessed via a questionnaire on the perceptual consequences. Results The patient's mean age was 36 years. The mean PTA4 values were 63.75, 40.74‐, and 37.88‐dB HL in the unaided, HA‐aided, and Hybrid‐aided groups, respectively. The speech reception thresholds varied significantly between the unaided and (i) aided using HA (p = 0.0009) and (ii) aided using the Hybrid solution (p = 0.0001). There is no significant variation between HA and Hybrid solutions (p < 0.4195). The mean SDS at 65 dB using the HA and Hybrid solution was 87% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion The proposed Hybrid system, combining conventional air‐conduction HAs with bone‐conduction devices, offers promising improvements in sound quality and user satisfaction. Further studies are essential to fully understand the Hybrid system's capabilities and evaluate its ability to avoid the dissatisfaction that could result from HA in some instances. Level of Evidence Prospective cohort study (Level 3).https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70089air‐conduction hearingbone‐conduction hearinghearing aidshearing impairmenthybrid device |
| spellingShingle | Hassan Alshehri Medhat Yousef Anas Ibrahim Yassin Abdelsamad Farid Alzhrani A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology air‐conduction hearing bone‐conduction hearing hearing aids hearing impairment hybrid device |
| title | A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments |
| title_full | A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments |
| title_fullStr | A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments |
| title_short | A Novel Hybrid Solution for Hearing Impairments |
| title_sort | novel hybrid solution for hearing impairments |
| topic | air‐conduction hearing bone‐conduction hearing hearing aids hearing impairment hybrid device |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70089 |
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