Solutions to electromagnetic interference problems between cochlear implants and GSM phones

Abstract

For persons using cochlear implants, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems may sometimes be an obstacle to using digital cellular telephones. This study aimed at exploring the benefit of three new assistive listening device prototypes that eliminate or diminish EMC problems. Ten experienced cochlear implant users listened in quiet to running speech samples and a sentence test on a landline phone, a digital cellular phone with and without three prototypes. The subjects' performance was assessed using a sentence test, a subjective visual analog scale, and by ranking the best and the poorest listening condition. Compared to the other test conditions, listening to a digital cellular phone alone revealed, on average, the poorest sentence recognition scores (29%) and the poorest results in four different subjective judgments (the amount of disturbances, the clarity of the message, the quality of the sound, overall judgment) with all three implant systems tested. The prototypes generally helped the implantees to recognize speech better on the cellular telephone (by 10-21 percent units, on average). Use of assistive listening devices and further development of EMC of both cochlear implant systems and digital cellular phones needs to take place to enable smooth use of digital cellular phones for all implantees.

Benefits from a mobile telephone adapter in Combi40+ cochlear implant users

“…More recently, Qian et al developed a mobile telephone adapter based on wireless Bluetooth technology and tested it with three Med-El implant recipients [10]. Patients reported that the [16]. They concluded that the prototypes can help telephonic communication, although further development is needed.…”

Radiofrequency dosimetry in subjects implanted with metallic straight wires: A numerical study

“…The great diffusion that mobile communication systems have gained in the last decades, together with the parallel increase in the number of active implantable medical devices, have prompted the scientific community to consider the potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) between EMF and medical devices. Several studies have investigated, both in vivo and in vitro, the potential adverse effects of mobile terminals on pacemakers, implantable cardioverters, brain stimulator, cochlear implants and other similar implantable devices [2][3][4][5]. However, it is still difficult to define a standard measure protocol and the threshold levels at which the exposure to EMF can cause adverse health consequences for the implanted patient.…”

The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields exposure on tinnitus, migraine and non-specific symptoms in the general and working population: A protocol for a systematic review on human observational studies

“…In principle, RF-EMF can interfere with implants such as pacemakers or cochlear implants ( Sorri et al, 2006 ) and thus indirectly affect well-being. This interaction is well understood and avoided by proper electromagnetic compatibility testing of implants and is thus not considered in this review.…”