An Audibility Model of the Bone Conduction Device during Headband Trial in Single-sided Deaf Subjects.

<em>Data and Code of the study</em> <strong>Abstract</strong> <strong>Objective</strong><br> We analysed the head-shadow-effect compensation in single-sided deafened (SSD) subjects fitted during the headband trial with a bone conduction device (BCD). <strong>Design</strong><br> In this retrospective study, we modelled audibility outcomes. The saved device settings of the participants were loaded on the BCD and used for measurements of the output force level on the skull simulator.<br> The sensation levels of the Bone-Conduction and Air-Conduction sound paths were compared, modelling three spatial conditions with speech in quiet. Full head-shadow-effect compensation occurred when the difference between sensation levels was equivalent of greater than 0.<br> We calculated the phoneme-score using the Speech Intelligibility Index for those conditions in quiet and, additionally, for seven conditions with speech and noise from different directions. <strong>Study sample</strong><br> Data from eighty-five SSD adults fitted with a BCD during the headband trial period. The subjects participated in a Randomized Control Trial. <strong>Results</strong><br> Most subjects did not reach a full head-shadow-effect compensation with the signal at the BCD-side and in front. The modelled outcomes of speech understanding in quiet did not improve with the transcutaneous BCD compared to the unaided condition. Regarding the speech understanding in noise, we found a slight improvement in some specific conditions and minimal worsening in others. <strong>Conclusions</strong><br> Based on an audibility model, this study challenges the fundamentals of a trial period with a transcutaneous BCD in subjects with SSD.