MSc project with USAIS patients- wideband tympanometry
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Wide-band tympanometry in cochlear implant users
IRAS ID
245459
Contact name
Carl Anton Verschuur
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 28 days
Research summary
People receive great benefit from cochlear implants (CI), which are surgically implanted prostheses which provide access to hearing for individuals with severe to profound deafness. In some cases, it is thought that scar tissue (fibrosis) develops around the site of the implant where it enters the inner ear. This in turn can have negative effects on hearing outcomes. Although there is evidence from post-mortem studies of CI users that such tissue can develop quickly, there is no known way to measure development of scar tissue around the inner ear directly. The aim of the current study is to use an existing non-invasive technique, called "wide-band tympanometry" to see if inner ear scar tissue can be indirectly measured. The technique is used widely for other types of ear problem, but has not previously been applied to this particular group. In the present study we propose to collect wide-band tympanometry data on a cohort of cochlear implant users and additionally undertake the same test on a cohort of healthy volunteers. Healthy volunteers will be recruited from staff and students at the University of Southampton. For context, the participant information sheet for the healthy volunteer part of the study is included with this application.
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0488
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jul 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion