Critical Review: Is ipsilaterally combined electro-acoustic stimulation an effective alternative to hearing aids or cochlear implants alone when treating individuals with severe to profound high-frequency hearing loss?

High-frequency sensorineural hearing impairments are among the most common configurations observed in the adult population. These impairments are more than often treated with acoustic amplification or cochlear implantation, both of which have benefits and pitfalls that need to be considered. This critical review will examine the effectiveness of ipsilaterally combined acoustic and electric hearing in an attempt to exploit the perceptual merits of each. A literature search was conducted and the resulting articles were critically appraised on the basis of their methodology, validity and level of evidence. Overall, the data reviewed suggest significant improvements on related measures of speech perception when electro-acoustic stimulation is compared to both acoustic and electric stimulation in isolation. The benefits and limitations of each study are discussed, and future research suggestions are offered as they relate to the clinical implications of this treatment.