Objective: To test whether in-the-canal (ITC) microphones have an impact on spatial discrimination and speech perception by taking advantage of auricular cues.
Study design: Experimental clinical study.
Setting: Audiologic laboratory in a tertiary referral center.
Patients: Seven bilateral adult cochlear implant (CI) users were selected from the institution's database.
Intervention: The adaptive German Oldenburg sentence test and minimum audible angle measurements were performed binaurally with experimental ITC and behind-the-ear (BTE) microphones.
Main outcome measures: Spatial discrimination and speech perception scores assessed for each microphone position.
Results: Spatial discrimination on the side of the head was superior using ITC compared with BTE microphone positions; the differences on the side of the first CI were statistically significant (mean minimum audible angle ± standard deviation, 28.4 ± 7.61 degrees versus 34.1 ± 14.4 degrees; p = 0.031). Speech perception scores with ITC versus BTE microphone positions also were improved, although the differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusion: ITC microphones could help to improve CI performance in the future.