An extra cochlear electro-stimulating device (ECME) using atraumatic external meatal electrodes as a communication aid for the deafened

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Authors

  • W. BOCHENEK Medical Academy of Warsaw, Institute of Surgery, ENT Department, Poland
  • A. CHORZEMPA Department of Nuclear Medecine, Poland
  • J. W. HAZELL Royal National Institute for the Deaf. London, United Kingdom
  • A. J. KUKWA ENT Department Szpital Czerniakowski, Poland
  • J. KICIAK Military Institute of HHygiene and Epidemiology, Poland

Abstract

We describe an auditory prosthesis for totally deafened people which stimulates both cochlear via ear canal electrodes. The device emits a square wave pulse matched to the first formant frequency and transposed below 10 Hz. It acts as an aid to lipreading, creates an awareness of environmental sounds, and reduces the isolation of total deafness. It is a cheap non-surgical alternative to cochlear implantation.

References

[1] W. BOCHENEK, Z. BOCHENEK (in memoriam), A. CHORZEMPA, Attempts to rehabilitate totally deafened persons by means of transdermal electrostimulation, Scand. Audiol. Suppl., 11, 151-155 (1980).

[2] W. BOCHENEK, A. CHORZEMPA, Our experiences with the management of young postlingually deafened persons, Scand. Audiol. Suppl, 17, 107-111 (1982).

[3] W. BOCHENEK, A. CHORZEMPA, J. W. P. HAZELL, A. KUKWA, J. KICIAK, Non-invasive electrical stimulation of the ear canal as a communication aid in acquired total deafness, Accepted for publication in British Journal of Audiology.

[4] W. BOCHENEK, W. SZELENBERGER, A. CHORZEMPA, G. MANOWIEC, Les “Off” — reponses corticales tardives évoquées par la stimulation électrique, Société Francaise d’Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et de Pathologie Cervico-Faciale, Congrés de 1985, Comptes Rendus des Sciences, Librairie Arnette, Paris 1986 pp. 542-547.