METHOD FOR TREATING PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS BY AUDITORY TRAINING IN VIRTUAL REALITY Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC A61F11/00 

FIELD: medicine; otorhinolaryngology; surdology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to medicine, specially to otorhinolaryngology and surdology, and can be used in treatment of patients with chronic sensorineural hearing loss. Before starting treatment, the patient is given speech audiometry and liminal pure-tone audiometry to calculate the individual hearing limen. Speech perception, spatial hearing and hearing quality are assessed using the appropriate scales of the SSQRus questionnaire in points. The treatment is carried out in computer audiovisual scenario of "ReviAudio" program using a virtual reality helmet and speaker system with eight speakers located along the perimeter of circle with radius of 1.5 m, on the axes 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, 315°. Speakers location is duplicated in audiovisual image in virtual reality helmet. The patient is placed in a circle center facing the speaker located on 0° axis on a rotating chair, so that it can freely rotate 180° counterclockwise and clockwise. Controller is given in patient's hand. Virtual reality helmet is placed on head. To work in audiovisual scenario, the researcher selects different modes in working interface of ReviAudio program depending on day of treatment course. The patient is randomly given signals from different speakers. Volume of target signals is more than 35 dB above the individual hearing threshold. Volume of target signals corresponds to the volume of non-target signals or exceeds it depending on day of study. Treatment is carried out daily, one procedure per day for seven days. The patient's response time is estimated in seconds, as well as accuracy of patient's determination of target signal direction in degrees for each speaker. On the third and seventh days of treatment the results are additionally evaluated according to scales of SSQRus questionnaire in points. Treatment is considered effective, when response time to the target signal is reduced to 50% from first day treatment indicators and the accuracy of target signal determination is up to 25° including anterior and anterolateral axes 0°, 45°, 90°, 270°, 315° and up to 40° including posterior and posterolateral axes 135°, 180°, 225° changes in indicators of speech perception scales, spatial hearing and hearing quality of SSQRus questionnaire on any of the scales by 3 or more points from indicators of the first day treatment.

EFFECT: method provides treatment of patients with chronic sensorineural hearing loss by auditory training in virtual reality.

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