"Artificial Wow Surgery is also effective for patients with high hearing loss in their teens and 30s."
Jul 10, 2024
A research team led by Professor Choi Byung-yoon of the otolaryngology department at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital (Director Song Jeong-han) (Communication author: Professor Choi Byung-yoon, 1 author: Professor Choi Sang-woon of otolaryngology at Chungnam National University Hospital) confirmed that artificial woo transplantation is also effective for patients between their teens and 30s, and the timing of hearing loss and pronunciation clarity before surgery are important prognostic factors for surgery.
Artificial wow surgery is performed on patients with hearing loss above the altitude who do not receive help even if they use hearing aids using the principle of converting sound into electrical signals by implanting electrodes in cochlear tubes located in the inner ear. It consists of an electrode inserted into the cochlea, an internal device planted under the skin, and an external device, a 音 processor', and the internal and external devices are attached to each other by the force of magnets with the scalp between them. After surgery, external sound is transmitted to the internal device through a bill processor, and the transmitted sound is converted into an electrical signal and reaches the brain through the cochlear nerve.
Artificial wow surgery is the only and safe rehabilitation method that can restore hearing for patients with severe hearing loss, which is difficult to rehabilitate with hearing aids. Since it is mainly conducted in infancy and the elderly, related research has been conducted steadily. However, there are not many reported literatures on the causes and effects of hearing loss in patients in their teens and 30s who underwent artificial wow surgery.
Accordingly, Professor Choi Byung-yoon's research team at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital conducted a retrospective study of 63 patients who underwent artificial wow surgery for the first time in their lives between their teens and 30s among 421 patients who underwent artificial wow surgery at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital from 2018 to 2022.
First, the research team conducted molecular genetic tests with DNA samples extracted from 61 oral mucosal cells or blood from 63 patients to investigate the cause of hearing loss. Genetic causes of hearing loss were identified in 65.2% (40 patients), and more than one-third of them were DFNB4, well known as vestibular duct dilatation (EVA). There are various types of hearing loss due to genetic mutations, such as DFNB1, DFNB4, and DFNA, and DFNB4 is known to cause hearing loss due to decreased function of genes producing hearing control proteins.
Usually, patients with vestibular canal dilatation were known to undergo artificial wow surgery in the childhood age group, but this study confirmed that artificial wow surgery is also performed in the age group between teens and 30s. This suggests that vestibular duct dilatation should be suspected in patients with hearing loss who visited the hospital to undergo artificial wow surgery due to high-level hearing loss in that age group.
In addition, Professor Choi Byung-yoon's research team conducted a hearing assessment in patients over 3 months after artificial wow surgery, and all 63 patients recorded a high average sentence understanding score of 80%. In particular, univariate simple linear regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to determine the correlation between the patient's age, timing of hearing loss, duration of hearing loss, and clarity of preoperative pronunciation when evaluating hearing ability.
As a result of performing regression analysis, it was confirmed that even if the period of hearing loss was long, the surgical effect was good, and the later the hearing loss occurred, the more advantageous it was. In addition, it was confirmed that the timing of hearing loss and the clarity of preoperative pronunciation had a significant effect on the outcome of surgery. The later the hearing loss occurred and the clearer the patient's pronunciation before surgery, the better the surgical prognosis.
Professor Byung-yoon Choi said, `It is of great significance of this study that the cause of hearing loss and prognostic factors of surgery in hearing loss patients who undergo artificial wow surgery in their teens and thirties, which have been somewhat alienated from the interest of various studies. In particular, patients with hearing loss in this age group often hesitate to decide on surgery, and providing them with prognostic factors to predict the outcome and outcome of surgery can be very motivating."
Professor Choi is a world-renowned otolaryngologist and auditory rehabilitation expert who has performed more than 1,300 artificial wow surgeries, and he is greatly improving the quality of life of patients by identifying the genetic cause of hearing loss to hearing-loss patients of various ages and providing customized treatment based on this. The findings were recently published in the renowned international journal 『European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology』.
Artificial wow surgery is performed on patients with hearing loss above the altitude who do not receive help even if they use hearing aids using the principle of converting sound into electrical signals by implanting electrodes in cochlear tubes located in the inner ear. It consists of an electrode inserted into the cochlea, an internal device planted under the skin, and an external device, a 音 processor', and the internal and external devices are attached to each other by the force of magnets with the scalp between them. After surgery, external sound is transmitted to the internal device through a bill processor, and the transmitted sound is converted into an electrical signal and reaches the brain through the cochlear nerve.
Artificial wow surgery is the only and safe rehabilitation method that can restore hearing for patients with severe hearing loss, which is difficult to rehabilitate with hearing aids. Since it is mainly conducted in infancy and the elderly, related research has been conducted steadily. However, there are not many reported literatures on the causes and effects of hearing loss in patients in their teens and 30s who underwent artificial wow surgery.
Accordingly, Professor Choi Byung-yoon's research team at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital conducted a retrospective study of 63 patients who underwent artificial wow surgery for the first time in their lives between their teens and 30s among 421 patients who underwent artificial wow surgery at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital from 2018 to 2022.
First, the research team conducted molecular genetic tests with DNA samples extracted from 61 oral mucosal cells or blood from 63 patients to investigate the cause of hearing loss. Genetic causes of hearing loss were identified in 65.2% (40 patients), and more than one-third of them were DFNB4, well known as vestibular duct dilatation (EVA). There are various types of hearing loss due to genetic mutations, such as DFNB1, DFNB4, and DFNA, and DFNB4 is known to cause hearing loss due to decreased function of genes producing hearing control proteins.
Usually, patients with vestibular canal dilatation were known to undergo artificial wow surgery in the childhood age group, but this study confirmed that artificial wow surgery is also performed in the age group between teens and 30s. This suggests that vestibular duct dilatation should be suspected in patients with hearing loss who visited the hospital to undergo artificial wow surgery due to high-level hearing loss in that age group.
In addition, Professor Choi Byung-yoon's research team conducted a hearing assessment in patients over 3 months after artificial wow surgery, and all 63 patients recorded a high average sentence understanding score of 80%. In particular, univariate simple linear regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to determine the correlation between the patient's age, timing of hearing loss, duration of hearing loss, and clarity of preoperative pronunciation when evaluating hearing ability.
As a result of performing regression analysis, it was confirmed that even if the period of hearing loss was long, the surgical effect was good, and the later the hearing loss occurred, the more advantageous it was. In addition, it was confirmed that the timing of hearing loss and the clarity of preoperative pronunciation had a significant effect on the outcome of surgery. The later the hearing loss occurred and the clearer the patient's pronunciation before surgery, the better the surgical prognosis.
Professor Byung-yoon Choi said, `It is of great significance of this study that the cause of hearing loss and prognostic factors of surgery in hearing loss patients who undergo artificial wow surgery in their teens and thirties, which have been somewhat alienated from the interest of various studies. In particular, patients with hearing loss in this age group often hesitate to decide on surgery, and providing them with prognostic factors to predict the outcome and outcome of surgery can be very motivating."
Professor Choi is a world-renowned otolaryngologist and auditory rehabilitation expert who has performed more than 1,300 artificial wow surgeries, and he is greatly improving the quality of life of patients by identifying the genetic cause of hearing loss to hearing-loss patients of various ages and providing customized treatment based on this. The findings were recently published in the renowned international journal 『European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology』.
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