Transcranial contralateral routing of the signal as a fitting option for patients with single-sided deafness

Patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) often report difficulty recognizing speech when the signal is on the side of the poorer ear. As discussed in this issue of Seminars in Hearing, several fitting options are available for patients with SSD. One option that could take on greater interest due to advancements in multichannel feedback management, noise reduction, and directional microphones is the transcranial contralateral routing of the signal (TCROS). This article reviews previous reports on performance with the TCROS. This article also focuses on the advances in hearing aid technology and how these advances could improve TCROS as a fitting option for patients with SSD. Finally, this article provides information on factors that audiologists should take into consideration for patient and hearing aid selection for TCROS and outlines a procedure to verify performance of TCROS using the real-ear-aided response (REAR) and other real-ear measures (REM).