The effect of cochlear implantation on nasalance of speech in post-lingually hearing impaired adults
Journal Article
HassanSM, Malki KH, Mesallam TA, Farahat M, Bukhari M, Murry T. . 2012
Publication Online URL:
Magazine \ Newspaper:
J Voice.
Publication Abstract:
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS:
Hypernasality is considered a prevalent speech abnormality that could significantly contribute to the unintelligibility of the hearing-impaired speakers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cochlear implantation and the duration of hearing loss on nasalance of speech of a postlingually impaired group of Saudi adult patients.
STUDY DESIGN:
Retrospective study.
METHODS:
This study included 25 postlingually hearing-impaired patients who underwent cochlear implantation and 25 age-matched control subjects. Patients were divided into three groups according to the duration of hearing loss. The nasometric data of the hearing-impaired group were compared with the control group. Also, the preoperative values were compared with the postoperative values 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery.
RESULTS:
Significant differences were demonstrated between the preimplantation nasalance scores of the three subgroups and between the patients and control groups. There were statistically significant differences demonstrated between the pre- and the postimplantation nasalance values for the three groups of patients.
CONCLUSION:
Cochlear implantation appears to have significant effects on improving the nasalance of the speech of postlingually hearing-impaired adult patients. However, the degree of improvement might vary according to the duration of hearing loss the patients had preimplantation.
Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.