ABA Cochlear Implants & Implantable Hearing Devices 2

Question 1

Which imaging study is most commonly ordered prior to cochlear implant surgery to evaluate cochlear anatomy and patency?

Accepted Answer

Computed tomography (CT) of the temporal bones

Answer

Plain X-ray of the mastoid

Answer

Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Answer

Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER)

Question 2

In CI programming, the 'C-level' (comfort level or MCL) represents:

Accepted Answer

The loudest comfortable level of electrical stimulation before discomfort

Answer

The level associated with the acoustic reflex threshold

Answer

The center frequency of the processing channel

Answer

The current level at which the device switches processing strategies

Question 3

Which cochlear implant processing strategy uses a 'n-of-m' approach where only the channels with the highest amplitude outputs are stimulated each cycle?

Accepted Answer

Advanced Combination Encoder (ACE)

Answer

Continuous Interleaved Sampling (CIS)

Answer

Spectral Peak (SPEAK)

Answer

Analog Simultaneous Stimulation (ASS)

Question 4

Electrode impedance checks in CI programming primarily assess:

Accepted Answer

The integrity of the electrical circuit between the electrode and the tissue interface

Answer

The frequency resolution of the cochlear implant

Answer

The signal-to-noise ratio of the internal microphone

Answer

The battery life remaining in the external processor

Question 5

A child receives a cochlear implant at age 18 months. According to research on critical periods, when should auditory rehabilitation be most intensively initiated?

Accepted Answer

Immediately following device activation

Answer

After the child reaches kindergarten age

Answer

Only after the child demonstrates plateau in aided performance

Answer

At age 3 when language develops more rapidly

Question 6

What does 'stapedius reflex threshold' measurement provide in the context of cochlear implant programming?

Accepted Answer

An objective way to estimate C-levels by detecting the reflexive middle ear muscle contraction

Answer

A direct measure of speech intelligibility with the CI

Answer

Verification that the CI is transmitting signal to the brainstem

Answer

Measurement of electrode insertion depth

Question 7

Bilateral cochlear implantation is most supported by evidence for which outcome benefit?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced sound localization and speech understanding in noise

Answer

Improved tonal music appreciation

Answer

Elimination of phantom auditory percepts (tinnitus)

Answer

Reduction in vestibular side effects