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Hearing with a cochlear implant and hearing aid in the same ear

Studies how children and adults with hearing loss use combined implant and aid hearing.

Key facts

Who runs it
Hearts for Hearing
Where
Austin, Edmond, Madison, and Nashville, United StatesSee the 4 sites
Trial code
Registry title
Combined Electric and Acoustic Hearing (EAS) in Children and Adults
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
160 people, planned
Started
5 Dec 2022
Expected to end
31 Aug 2028
Type of study
Interventional, 4 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) technology in the implanted ear(s)-this is the combination of a cochlear implant (CI) and hearing aid (HA) in the implanted ear(s)
Record updated
20 October 2025

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for children and adults who use a cochlear implant (CI) and still have some low-pitch natural hearing in both ears. It is also looking for children and adults with normal hearing to compare with.

Age
5 years and older. Children aged 5 to 17 years and adults aged 18+ years.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
People with a CI need at least one CI and mild to severe sensorineural (inner ear) hearing loss in both ears. Without aids, hearing thresholds must be 80 dB HL or less at 125 and 250 Hz in both ears. People with normal hearing can also join.
Earlier treatment
People in the CI groups must already have at least 1 cochlear implant. They must be willing to use combined electric and acoustic hearing (EAS) in the implanted ear(s). This is checked with data from the device software.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Deafness in one ear only (single-sided deafness) in CI participants
  • Nonverbal intelligence standard score < 85
  • Adults with a MoCA or HI-MoCA memory and thinking test score < 26
  • Autism, auditory neuropathy, a neurological disorder or general cognitive impairment

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 7 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Children aged 5 to 17 years of age with either normal hearing (n=40) or at least 1 cochlear implant (CI) and binaural low-frequency acoustic hearing (n=40); adults aged 18+ years with either normal hearing (n=40) or at least 1 CI and binaural low-frequency acoustic hearing (n=40)
  • Experimental participants must have at least one CI and bilateral mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss For CI participants, audiometric thresholds in the non-CI ear must be consistent with at least a mild sensorineural hearing loss; that is, the investigators will not be enrolling participants with single-sided deafness (SSD) For CI participants, unaided audiometric thresholds must be less than or equal to 80 dB HL for 125 and 250 Hz, in both ears
  • Nonverbal cognitive abilities within the typical range for all participants; adult participants must also pass cognitive screening via Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA or HI-MoCA)
  • No confounding diagnosis such as autism, auditory neuropathy, neurological disorder, or general cognitive impairment
  • Willingness to use EAS technology in the implanted ear(s) to be verified via data logging from cochlear implant and hearing aid software

Who cannot take part

  • Nonverbal intelligence standard score < 85 (for any participant)
  • MoCA or HI-MoCA score < 26 for adult participants

Where in United States

  • University of Texas at AustinAustin, United StatesContact: Spencer Smith, PhDTaking people
  • Hearts for HearingEdmond, United StatesContact: René H Gifford, PhDTaking people
  • University of Wisconsin - MadisonMadison, United StatesContact: Shelly GodarTaking people
  • Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, United StatesContact: René Gifford, PhDNo longer taking part

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

Cochlear implants are surgically implanted devices which restore the ability to hear to the hearing impaired. Improvements in surgery and electrodes have results in an increased number of adults and children who have residual hearing and can benefit from electric and acoustic hearing in the same ear. This is called Electric Acoustic Stimulation (EAS). Many studies have shown that adult EAS users show significant benefits for speech understanding in noise and spatial hearing tasks as compared to a CI paired only with a contralateral HA. Even though this type of hearing is becoming more common, there is limited research on how it can be beneficial to children with CIs. The benefits of this study are a greater understanding of the participant's speech understanding, binaural processing, and spatial hearing. The results will help audiologists and researcher better understand how cochlear implants work, specifically when using electric and acoustic hearing in the same ear.

The 4 groups in the trial

  • Adult use of EASTreatment being tested

    Clinical intervention; Adults with CI and the fitting of electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) technology in the implanted ear(s).

    Treatment: Electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) technology in the implanted ear(s)-this is the combination of a cochlear implant (CI) and hearing aid (HA) in the implanted ear(s)

  • Pediatric use of EASTreatment being tested

    Clinical intervention; Children with CI and the fitting of electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) technology in the implanted ear(s).

    Treatment: Electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) technology in the implanted ear(s)-this is the combination of a cochlear implant (CI) and hearing aid (HA) in the implanted ear(s)

  • Children with Normal HearingNo study treatment, for comparison

    Children with normal hearing; acoustic only

  • Adults with Normal HearingNo study treatment, for comparison

    Adult with normal hearing; acoustic only

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Binaural Cue Sensitivity in Children and Adults With Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation
Plain-language title
Hearing with a cochlear implant and hearing aid in the same earGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Record updated
20 October 2025