Authors: Maryam Hussain¹; Hylke F.E. van der Toom¹; Mats Voogelaar¹; Bernd Kremer¹; Jantien L. Vroegop¹
¹Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC)
Background: There is no standardized fitting protocol regarding the amount and timing of fitting sessions during CI rehabilitation. Moreover, fitting sessions can be time consuming, contributing to the increasing workload faced by CI centers. In order to optimize the current rehabilitation process, the present study aimed to evaluate the current fitting strategy within the Erasmus MC. The main objective of this study was to investigate the evolution in stimulation levels (C-/M- and T- levels) in adult CI users from both Advanced Bionics™ and Cochlear™, and to assess whether this trajectory differs between the two brands.
Method: This retrospective study was conducted at the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. A total of 183 post-lingually deaf adults were included with a unilateral CI from either Advanced Bionics™ or Cochlear™. Stimulation levels (C-, M- and T- levels) were collected from these adults for six fitting sessions during the first year post-implantation. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze longitudinal changes.
Results: Our findings were comparable for both Advanced Bionics™ and Cochlear™ implants users. Mean M/C and T levels changed over time, showing a similar characteristic pattern for each patient with a rapid increase during the initial period, followed by gradual stabilization. Post-hoc comparisons revealed significant differences between appointments up to the fourth fitting session for M/C levels and up to the third fitting session for T-levels. There were no significant differences after these fitting sessions. These findings were consistent across the different electrode segments (apical, medial, upper basal, lower basal).
Conclusion: The mean M/C- and T-levels stabilized after approximately 3 months and 5 weeks, respectively, showing equivalent trajectories between the two brands.
