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Successful hearing improvement with direct acoustic stimulation in a patient with schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2018

J Rebol ,
M Kravos  and
M Ložar
J Rebol*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Maribor University Clinical Center, Koper, Slovenia Medical Faculty, University of Maribor, Koper, Slovenia
M Kravos
Affiliation:
Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
M Ložar
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Maribor University Clinical Center, Koper, Slovenia
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Janez Rebol, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Maribor University Clinical Center, Ljubljanska 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia E-mail: janez.rebol@guest.arnes.si
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Abstract

Objective

A direct acoustic cochlear implant provides its power directly to the inner ear by vibrating the perilymph via a conventional stapes prosthesis. Our experience with a patient with severe mixed hearing loss due to otosclerosis is described.

Case report

The patient, a 47-year-old male, had a pre-operative speech recognition score of 10 per cent and had been treated for many years for schizophrenia, both of which made him a poor candidate for a direct acoustic stimulation device. Nevertheless, the surgery was performed, which preserved the pre-operative bone conduction level and significantly improved hearing. His speech recognition score rose to 100 per cent. He uses the device all day and his auditory hallucinations have subsided. Improvement of schizophrenia symptoms has enabled the patient to reduce his psychiatric medications intake.

Conclusion

Hearing restoration was the main reason for the reduction of auditory hallucinations in our patient. Hearing loss is a potentially reversible risk factor for psychosis, but this association is often overlooked.

Keywords

Hearing AidsOtosclerosisHearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-SensorineuralPsychosisSchizophrenia
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 132 , Issue 10 , October 2018 , pp. 946 - 948
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2018 

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Footnotes

Dr J Rebol takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

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