Hearing Disorder Clinic
People listen to the sound with two ways. One is the way, what we know generally, passed into the inner ear through the middle ear and inner ear, another way called bone conduction and sound itself vibrate the skull and the sound is passed with the way that this vibration is passed into to the lesion or to the inner ear. If there is a problem in the structure involved in hearing, we called it hearing loss. Presbycusis for elderly people and hearing loss when also working with noise in the long-term, may come. Deafness is usually the caused by 90% of acquired factor. Otolaryngology in Korea is operating specialized clinics such as cochlear implants, ear implants hearing aid centers to improve these hearing disorders.
Cochlear Implant Surgery
Cochlear implant surgery means surgery to insert a cochlear implant which is electromagnetic on the cochlear of the patients with hearing loss. Cochlear convert sound coming from the outside into electrical impulses and it is a device which is composed of electrode stimulating the auditory nerve electrode and is composed of the pawn transplanter,the speech processor with electrode and induction coil and the pawn transplanter with transmitter. According to 2006 statistics, approximately more than 80,000 people worldwide have received transplants and the number of patients undergoing surgery is annually increasing. Cochlear transplantation first of all incises the skin of behind ears and makes temporal bone exposed. Just like otitis media surgery, preparing the part to insert the body of transplanter and making expose the round window of cochlear what the electrode is inserted after grinding mastroid. Electrode insert into the cochlear by fixing the body of transplanter. Suturing the skin incised after a brief examination if the transplanter does work normally or not.
Indications
- Aged 12 months to 17 years (In the case of meningitis, prior to 12 months can be performed)
- Severe hearing loss as per the hearing examination measured without hearing aid in the bilateral ear (more than 90 db)
- In case that there is no effect after wearing hearing aids for a reasonable period
- Auditory nerve with normal auditory function and in case of not having a brain disorders associated with hearing
Tympanic Membrane Regeneration
Perforated eardrum perforated eardrum is an external shock causes direct damage to the eardrum or middle ear due to otitis media occurs as a sudden change in barometric pressure may be caused. It called perforated eardrum that it has been perforated in the eardrum and it occurs with a sudden change in barometric pressure in the middle ear due to otitis media or direct damage to eardrum due to an external shock. In severe cases, disorders can be occurred in the inner-ear and then evolved into a severe hearing loss , therefore, tympanic membrane regeneration should be made by using fascia or perichondrium. Tympanic membrane regeneration is the surgery by using the fascia or perichondrium. It is treated by regional anesthesia and done surgery through external auditory canal without the incision of skin. However, skin incision behind the ear may be required in case that external auditory canal is too much narrow and in case of the re-surgery, temporalis fascia is required to collect the ear implants materials and in this case, the hair up the ear can be cut partially.
Indications
- Eardrum perforation not associated with lesions of mastroid
Hearing Aid Clinic
Hearing aid is the cutting-edge precision medical device complementing the hearing by amplifying the sound properly after wearing it in the ear of hard-of hearing person. The type and characteristics of hearing aid are very various as the type and characteristics of hearing loss are various. Accordingly, be sure that it is important to get an exact tests, consultations, prescriptions and etc. from medical staff before wearing the hearing aid.
Indications
- Moderately and severe hearing loss
- Conductive, neurological and mixed all hearing loss types
Treatment Method
After the diagnosis of medical staff, the people suffering from hearing disorders or hearing discomfort visit the hospital and then get the prescription of appropriate hearing aid and evaluation. Usually, it takes about 30~50 minutes for patients to consult with medical staff and he gives an information about type and form of the hearing aid and explanation about the characteristics and type of hearing loss of the patients. If the patients want to buy the hearing aid in the hospital in Korea, they have to get an appropriate examination with the hearing aid wearing next consultation date by ordering the hearing aid after molding the ear form (impression work).
Hearing Test Clinic
Turning Fork Test
There are Rinne Test, Weber Test, Bing Test and Schwabach Test in Tuning Fork Test. These tests is screening whether there is a hearing loss or not and if any, these are mainly used to distinguish whether it is a sensible nerve or conductive hard of hearing but it is limited to grasp exactly the degree of hard of hearing with the only result.
Pure Tone Test
Pure tone test is the method to measure Air bone conduction threshold of the patients by controlling the intensity and frequency of various stimuli sounds with audiometer and it can presume the disease part after knowing the degree and type of hard of hearing through the hearing degree of the patients.
Speech Hearing Tests
Speech hearing tests are performed in order to check communication ability of the patients in daily life and the types includes Speech hearing test, Speech Reception Threshold, Speech Awareness Threshold Word Recognition Score and Optimal and discomfort level(MCL, UCL). Speech Hearing Tests check whether it is corresponding with PTA of air conduction pure tone hearing thresholds by spondge words and provide the basis of Speech Awareness Threshold.
Speech Reception Threshold : In case of the impossibilities of Speech hearing test, Speech Reception Threshold is performed and it is 10Db better than Speech hearing test.
Speech Awareness Threshold : It is measured by % the number of words recognized among PB words and the patients communicate in the situation that there is some noises daily so that tests is always performed with masking. It provides not only the comprehension ability of Speech but also the necessary information for speech treatment plan, the selection and suitability of the hearing aid as per the degree of disorders of communication and disease part. In case of suitability, it can be a useful materials.
Optimal and Discomfort Level (MCL, UCL) : It will be a useful materials when the selection of the hearing aid or presumption of the disease part of hard of hearing person.
Children Hearing Tests
In case that children himself is impossible to react after hearing the stimuli, the subjective hearing evaluation of children can be performed with tests as followings;
- BOA : It is performed in the sound booth what surrounding noise is blocked and to analogize the hearing by observing the action of children after giving various stimuli sounds far away from 8-10cm distance of baby test ear.
- VRA : It is the principal to show the reinforced toy if they react head turn after giving the sound stimuli and making learning each reinforcement consecutively according to the sound stimuli to the children with 5 months~2 age usually. It is possible to measure each frequency but has disadvantage not to measure separately the ears of both right and left.
- PA : It is the hearing tests method through various and appropriate plays to the children with 2`-5 age. It influences largely on the tests result whether they’re trained to be tested or they are matured enough to follow play.
- Multiple Methods : It is the method to measure the hearing of children by combining both VRA and PA as mentioned above. Multiple Method is also frequently used in the clinical tests.
Other Special Tests
Pure tone special tests are performed as below in order to check in detail about the additional information of cause of hard of hearing; It can be measured by indirect method(SISI,UCL) or direct method(ABLB,MLB) by using pure tone because we have to check recruitment in order to evaluate whether it’s sensorial hearing loss or not. Check whether there is an excessive adaptation through PI-PB function, Bekesy test and Tone Decay in order to judge whether it’s neutral hearing loss or not. Check pseudohypacusis through various tests including Stenger test. In case of hard of hearing person with tinnitus, tinnitogram test is performed.
