BOOK REVIEWS

Scott P. Stringer, Section Editor

HEARING AIDS: STANDARDS, OPTIONS, ANDLIMITATIONS, SECOND EDITION

By Michael Valente (ed.), Thieme Medical Publishers,Inc., New York, 2002, 425 pp, $59.99

The book Hearing Aids: Standards, Options, and

Limitations, 2nd edition, updates the first edition

written in 1996 to reflect the technology that continues

to rapidly outpace textbooks on the topic. The era

surrounding the first edition printing was character-

ized by relatively simplistic linear input–output am-

plifiers, compression circuitry, and now comparatively

passe ‘‘class D’’ amplifiers. Today, advanced digital

processing techniques, directional microphone arrays,

and multichannel, nonlinear amplification schemes

have been incorporated into the ‘‘standard’’ hearing

aid, and keeping abreast of these changes can be dif-

ficult. Books like this are always welcome additions to

any dispenser’s library.

Undated chapters of the second edition address re-

cently revised American National Standards Institute

electroacoustic standards, multichannel concepts, direc-

tional amplification, digital amplification, and auditory

rehabilitation technologies. These topics are in addition

to the tried-and-true topics dealing with the operation

and theory of individual subcomponents of hearing aids

such as microphones, switches, earmolds, speakers, and

telecoils. The subjects are integrated in a logical and

readable manner, written by a variety of recognized

authorities on the topic. Very few pages are without at

least one photograph, table, and/or chart to supple-

ment the text. All chapters provide a rich compliment

of references, and all seem accurate and complete.

Although there are certainly a number of other

texts on modern hearing aids, this text is an excellent

stand-alone reference for those who wish to learn about

the internal mechanics of the modern hearing instru-

ment and the standards that define its operation. How-

ever, do not look to this book as a clinical reference for

fitting and verifying hearing aids to patients; instead,

the author has prepared an accompanying text on this

topic titled, Strategies for Selecting and Verifying

Hearing Aid Fittings, 2nd edition. The combination of

these two books serves as a complete ‘‘reference library’’

for both student and practitioner alike.

Even though hearing aid technology is in constant

flux, this text is among the most up-to-date of those

available on the subject and is therefore recommended

alone or, better yet, as a set with its accompanying book

on clinical applications. Both were a pleasure to review.

STRATEGIES FOR SELECTING AND VERIFYINGHEARING AID FITTINGS, SECOND EDITION

By Michael Valente (ed.), Thieme Medical Publishers,Inc., New York, 395 pp, $59.00

The first edition, published in 1944, was an excellent

work describing traditional hearing aid prescriptions

and fitting rationales. However, technological advances

have rapidly outpaced older texts, creating a need for an

up-to-date collection of information. Such advances

discussed in the text reflect the modernization of real-

ear measurement standards (American National Stan-

dards Institute, 1997), the incorporation of directional

microphones and the ability of these microphones to

improve hearing in noise, and the addition of an entirely

new category of hearing prosthetics, the implantable

hearing aid.

Conventional topics include maximum output, real-

ear measures, prescriptive fitting techniques, compara-

tive techniques, considerations of fitting modern aids

to various sensory and conductive loss configurations,

middle ear implants, rehabilitation, patient counseling,

and even infection control. The contributors are rec-

ognized experts in the field, and the supporting illus-

trations are plentiful, as would be expected from a

technical/clinical text of this type. References are also

plentiful and seem complete.

PHIL McCANDLESS, PhD

Jackson, Mississippi

Head & Neck 26: 555–556, 2004Published online 12 May 2004 in Wiley InterScience(www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/hed.20031

B 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Book Reviews HEAD & NECK June 2004 555

Interestingly, the text does not rely exclusively on

the presentation of modern strategies; instead, it pre-

serves the historical perspective of hearing aid fitting

management as a foundation and integrates modern

andadvancedconceptsinthepresentation.Therefore,the

book is well suited to students and professionals alike

who deal with hearing amplification on a daily basis.

Although there are certainly a number of other well-

written and timely texts available on clinical hearing

aids, this text concentrates on the clinical perspective

of amplification and intentionally de-emphasizes hard-

ware, standards, and technical amplification and hard-

ware issues. Instead, there is a second accompanying

book titled Hearing Aids: Standards, Options, and

Limitations, 2nd edition, which is a resource for those

interested in these matters. This book, or the two-book

combination, provides an excellent and nearly com-

plete ‘‘hearing aid library’’ for the audiologist, student,

or both.

PHIL McCANDLESS, PhD

Jackson, Mississippi

HEAD & NECK June 2004556 Book Reviews