The Role of Preoperative Steroids for Hearing Preservation Cochlear Implantation: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether preoperative steroids can improve hearing outcomes in cochlear implantation (CI). METHODS: This is a randomized controlled trial involving 30 postlingual deaf CI patients. Subjects had preoperative thresholds of better than or equal to 80 dB at 125 and 250 Hz, and better than or equal to 90 dB at 500 and 1,000 Hz. The subjects were randomized to a control group, an oral steroid group (receiving 1 mg/kg/day of prednisolone for 6 days prior to surgery), or a transtympanic steroid group (receiving a single dose of 0.5 mL of 10 mg/mL dexamethasone at 24 h prior to surgery). RESULTS: The subjects receiving transtympanic steroids had a significant decrease in the pure tone average over 3 months compared to the control and oral steroid group, which persisted over 12 months (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A single dose of preoperative transtympanic steroids prior to CI appears to have a beneficial effect, at least in the short term, with minimal effects seen in the longer term.

Examining the Spatial Varying Effects of Sociodemographic Factors on Adult Cochlear Implantation Using Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression.

OBJECTIVE: To (i) demonstrate the utility of geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR) in describing geographical patterns of adult cochlear implant (CI) incidence in relation to sociodemographic factors in a publicly funded healthcare system, and (ii) compare Poisson regression and GWPR to fit the aforementioned relationship. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of provincial CI Program database. SETTING: Academic hospital. PATIENTS: Adults 18 years or older who received a CI from 2020 to 2021. INTERVENTIONS: Cochlear implant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CI incidence based on income level, education attainment, age at implantation, and distance from center, and spatial autocorrelation across census metropolitan areas. RESULTS: Adult CI incidence varied spatially across Ontario (Moran's I = 0.04, p < 0.05). Poisson regression demonstrated positive associations between implantation and lower income level (coefficient = 0.0284, p < 0.05) and younger age (coefficient = 0.1075, p < 0.01), and a negative association with distance to CI center (coefficient = -0.0060, p < 0.01). Spatial autocorrelation was significant in Poisson model (Moran's I = 0.13, p < 0.05). GWPR accounted for spatial differences (Moran's I = 0.24, p < 0.690), and similar associations to Poisson were observed. GWPR further identified clusters of implantation in South Central census metropolitan areas with higher education attainment. CONCLUSIONS: Adult CI incidence demonstrated a nonstationary relationship between implantation and the studied sociodemographic factors. GWPR performed better than Poisson regression in accounting for these local spatial variations. These results support the development of targeted interventions to improve access and utilization to CIs in a publicly funded healthcare system.

Gene mutations as a non-invasive measure of adult cochlear implant performance: Variable outcomes in patients with select TMPRSS3 mutations.

BACKGROUND: The cochlear implant (CI) has proven to be a successful treatment for patients with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, however outcome variance exists. We sought to evaluate particular mutations discovered in previously established sensory and neural partition genes and compare post-operative CI outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Utilizing a prospective cohort study design, blood samples collected from adult patients with non-syndromic hearing loss undergoing CI were tested for 54 genes of interest with high-throughput sequencing. Patients were categorized as having a pathogenic variant in the sensory partition, pathogenic variant in the neural partition, pathogenic variant in both sensory and neural partition, or with no variant identified. Speech perception performance was assessed pre- and 12 months post-operatively. Performance measures were compared to genetic mutation and variant status utilizing a Wilcoxon rank sum test, with P<0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Thirty-six cochlear implant patients underwent genetic testing and speech understanding measurements. Of the 54 genes that were interrogated, three patients (8.3%) demonstrated a pathogenic mutation in the neural partition (within TMPRSS3 genes), one patient (2.8%) demonstrated a pathogenic mutation in the sensory partition (within the POU4F3 genes). In addition, 3 patients (8.3%) had an isolated neural partition variance of unknown significance (VUS), 5 patients (13.9%) had an isolated sensory partition VUS, 1 patient (2.8%) had a variant in both neural and sensory partition, and 23 patients (63.9%) had no mutation or variant identified. There was no statistically significant difference in speech perception scores between patients with sensory or neural partition pathogenic mutations or VUS. Variable performance was found within patients with TMPRSS3 gene mutations. CONCLUSION: The impact of genetic mutations on post-operative outcomes in CI patients was heterogenous. Future research and dissemination of mutations and subsequent CI performance is warranted to elucidate exact mutations within target genes providing the best non-invasive prognostic capability.

Postlingually deaf adults of all ages derive equal benefits from unilateral multichannel cochlear implant.

BACKGROUND: Controversy still exists regarding the impact of age on speech recognition following cochlear implant in postlingually deaf adults. In some studies elderly recipients did not perform as well as younger patients on standard speech recognition tests. Furthermore, previous studies have shown that cochlear implantation improves quality of life, as measured by self-administered questionnaires, but the sample sizes of these studies have been relatively small, thus making age stratification a challenge. PURPOSE: The primary objective was to assess whether the age at which a patient receives a unilateral cochlear implant affects improvements in speech recognition scores and perceived quality of life. A secondary objective was to determine whether preoperative use of hearing aids correlates with improvement in speech recognition and perceived quality of life after cochlear implantation. RESEARCH DESIGN: A retrospective study in a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A total of 161 postlingually deaf adults, who were divided based on age (<50, 50-65, >65) and on prior hearing aid(s) use. INTERVENTION: All patients received a unilateral multichannel cochlear implant. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Speech recognition was quantified by percent correct scores on the Hearing in Noise Test sentences delivered in a quiet setting only (HINT%), and quality of life was quantified by the Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI) before and 1 yr after cochlear implantation. RESULTS: Speech recognition, as measured by HINT%, improved significantly and to similar extents in all three age groups following cochlear implantation. Similarly, quality of life as quantified by HHI improved markedly and to similar extents in all age groups. Whether hearing aids were used pre-implant, or whether the cochlear implant (CI) was implanted on the same side or contralateral to the hearing aid side, had no substantial effect on the patients' performances on either speech recognition or quality of life. Moreover, there were no statistically significant correlations between pre-implant speech recognition scores and pre-implant quality of life scores or between postimplant speech recognition scores and postimplant quality of life scores. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study demonstrate that cochlear implantation improves HINT% and HHI scores to similar extents across all age groups. This finding suggests that elderly patients may derive speech recognition and quality of life benefits similar to those of younger patients and that age should not be an essential factor in the determination of CI candidacy. Furthermore, prior use of a hearing aid, and its location in relation to the cochlear implant, does not influence the extent of improvement in speech recognition or quality of life measurements following cochlear implantation.

Glasgow Benefit Inventory in Cochlear Implantation: A Reliable Though Ancillary Quality of Life Metric.

OBJECTIVE: The Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) is a health-related quality of life instrument used to detect changes in health status following otolaryngologic interventions. Despite its use in cochlear implant literature, assessment of utility, reliability, and validity of GBI in an adult cochlear implants (CI) patient population has yet to be performed. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Academic, tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Postlingually deafened, adult CI patients with at least 1 year of device use. INTERVENTIONS: Five hundred fifty-two patients were administered GBI questionnaires at least 1 year following CI activation during follow-up visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: GBI total and subscale scoring were compared to either the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults or Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly. Moreover, a factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were performed to determine GBI validity and internal reliability, respectively. RESULTS: The average overall GBI score was 38.6 ±â€Š21.7. This was weakly correlated to the reduction in Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults/Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (τb = 0.282, p < 0.05). High factor loading with minimal cross-loading was noted on a three-factor solution, which emulated the original GBI development. Internal reliability was acceptable for the general benefit (α = 0.913) and social support subclasses (α = 0.706), whereas physical health's was low (α = 0.643). CONCLUSIONS: Although GBI possesses adequate convergent and discriminant validity with acceptable reliability, its routine use to capture CI-specific health-related changes should not supersede validated CI-specific QoL instruments.

Corrigendum to "The Effect of Cochlear Size on Cochlear Implantation Outcomes".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2019/5849871.].

Long-term Implant Usage and Quality-of-Life in Sequential Bilateral Pediatric Cochlear Implantation.

OBJECTIVES: Our primary objective was to investigate the long-term usage of cochlear implants (CIs) in children who underwent sequential bilateral CI (SeqBCI), and to study factors that impact usage. Our secondary objective was to understand the difference in subjective benefit and educational/employment status, between users and non-users of the second CI (CI2). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case series. SETTING: Tertiary academic centers. PATIENTS: Sixty-eight young adults who underwent SeqBCI as children. INTERVENTIONS: Pediatric SeqBCI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measures were the current usage of the first CI (CI1) and CI2, factors that determine usage, current perceptions of their CIs, educational/employment status, and Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ12) scores. RESULTS: Sixty five (95.6%) participants were using CI1 for over 8 h/d and the rest were using CI1 for 4 to 8 h/d. Fourty four (64.7%) participants used CI2 for at least 4 h/d, 10 (15%) indicated that they rarely used CI2 (<4 h/d) and 14 (21%) were not using CI2 at all. On multivariate analysis, the only independent predictor of long-term usage of CI2 was the inter-implant interval (odds ratio [OR] 0.78, standard deviation [SD] 0.65-0.91, p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in the SSQ12 scores of users and non-users of CI2. CONCLUSION: The finding of increasing rates of non-usage of CI2 with lengthening inter-implant interval is clinically relevant and critical to health-economic assessment. From a usage point of view, the evidence is sufficiently robust to recommend that in children with bilateral deafness, bilateral CI should be done simultaneously, and if not, soon after the first CI. In the context of a longer inter-implant interval, clinicians should weigh the marginal benefits of CI2 against the surgical risks vis-a-vis non-usage and bilateral vestibular hypofunction.

Predicting Reduced Tinnitus Burden After Cochlear Implantation in Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Explore patient characteristics associated with tinnitus improvement after cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Tertiary referral. PATIENTS: Adults with bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss and tinnitus. INTERVENTIONS: Unilateral cochlear implantation. RESULTS: From 1996 to 2018, 358 patients endorsed pre-implant tinnitus and had ascertainable tinnitus status at 1-year. Clinically significant improvement in Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) (reduction by at least 7-points) was observed in 262 (73.2%) patients, of whom 155 (59.2%) reported complete resolution. Of the 24 characteristics explored, four were identified as independent predictors of improved tinnitus in logistic regression models. In a multivariable model including identified independent predictors, each 10-percentage point increase in baseline hearing in noise test was associated with an 14% reduction in odds of tinnitus resolution or clinically significant improvement (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% confidence limits [CL] 0.77, 0.96) and preoperative use of a hearing aid in the contralateral ear was associated with a 72% reduction (OR 0.28; 95% CL 0.11, 0.73). Each 10-point increase in baseline Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHI) score was associated with a 28% increase in odds of tinnitus improvement (OR 1.28; 95% CL 1.07, 1.54). Higher baseline burden of tinnitus was associated with higher odds of tinnitus improvement (OR 1.21 per 10-point THI increase, 95% CL 1.04, 1.40). CONCLUSIONS: Worse residual hearing and higher baseline hearing and tinnitus handicap are associated with higher odds of tinnitus improvement. Expectations of patients seeking reduced tinnitus burden following cochlear implantation should be managed by counselling regarding odds of tinnitus improvement compared to those with similar residual hearing and tinnitus burden.

Predicting Postoperative Cochlear Implant Performance Using Supervised Machine Learning.

OBJECTIVES: To predict postoperative cochlear implant performance with heterogeneous text and numerical variables using supervised machine learning techniques. STUDY DESIGN: A supervised machine learning approach comprising neural networks and decision tree-based ensemble algorithms were used to predict 1-year postoperative cochlear implant performance based on retrospective data. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: One thousand six hundred four adults who received one cochlear implant from 1989 to 2019. Two hundred eighty two text and numerical objective demographic, audiometric, and patient-reported outcome survey instrument variables were included. OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes for postoperative cochlear implant performance were discrete Hearing in Noise Test (HINT; %) performance and binned HINT performance classification ("High," "Mid," and "Low" performers). Algorithm performance was assessed using hold-out validation datasets and were compared using root mean square error (RMSE) in the units of the target variable and classification accuracy. RESULTS: The neural network 1-year HINT prediction RMSE and classification accuracy were 0.57 and 95.4%, respectively, with only numerical variable inputs. Using both text and numerical variables, neural networks predicted postoperative HINT with a RMSE of 25.0%, and classification accuracy of 73.3%. When applied to numerical variables only, the XGBoost algorithm produced a 1-year HINT score prediction performance RMSE of 25.3%. We identified over 20 influential variables including preoperative sentence-test performance, age at surgery, as well as specific tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), Short Form 36 (SF-36), and health utilities index (HUI) question responses as the highest influencers of postoperative HINT. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that supervised machine learning can predict postoperative cochlear implant performance and identify preoperative factors that significantly influence that performance. These algorithms can help improve the understanding of the diverse factors that impact functional performance from heterogeneous data sources.

The Effect of Cochlear Size on Cochlear Implantation Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if cochlear duct length and cochlear basal diameter, measured using routinely available radiology software, affect hearing outcomes after cochlear implantation with two different length electrodes. METHODS: 55 patients who received a Med-El Flex electrode were retrospectively reviewed. 34 patients received the Flex 31 electrode (31mm) and 21 patients received the Flex 28 electrode (28mm). Preoperative high-resolution CT scans of the temporal bone were reformatted in the axial and coronal plane. The basal diameter of the cochlear (A-value) and the outer-wall lengths of the cochlear duct were measured using readily available imaging software. Postoperative plane X-rays were used to determine the degree of electrode insertion and the number of electrodes within the cochlea and speech discrimination scores at 6 months were evaluated. RESULTS: The cochlear metrics obtained were comparable with those previously published in the literature. There was no significant difference in the degree of insertion or speech outcomes between the two electrode lengths. However, when the group who had received the shorter electrode were analysed, there was an association seen between both cochlear duct length and cochlear diameter and speech outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Cochlear size may be a factor in determining speech outcomes that cannot be explained solely by insertion depth or degrees of insertion. Further studies are required to determine if cochlear duct length is an independent predictor of speech outcomes.

Association of Speech Processor Technology and Speech Recognition Outcomes in Adult Cochlear Implant Users.

OBJECTIVE: Determine association of advancements in speech processor technology with improvements in speech recognition outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Adult unilateral cochlear implant (CI) recipients. INTERVENTION: Increasing novelty of speech processor defined by year of market availability. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) and Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) in quiet. RESULTS: From 1991 to 2016, 1,111 CNC scores and 1,121 HINT scores were collected from 351 patients who had complete data. Mean post-implantation CNC score was 53.8% and increased with more recent era of implantation (p < 0.001, analysis of variance [ANOVA]). Median HINT score was 87.0% and did not significantly vary with implantation era (p = 0.06, ANOVA). Multivariable generalized linear models were fitted to estimate the effect of speech processor novelty on CNC and HINT scores, each accounting for clustering of scores within patients and characteristics known to influence speech recognition outcomes. Each 5-year increment in speech processor novelty was independently associated with an increase in CNC score by 2.85% (95% confidence limits [CL] 0.26, 5.44%) and was not associated with change in HINT scores (p = 0.30). CONCLUSION: Newer speech processors are associated with improved CNC scores independent of the year of device implantation and expanding candidacy criteria. The lack of association with HINT scores can be attributed to a ceiling effect, suggesting that HINT in quiet may not be an informative test of speech recognition in the modern CI recipient. The implications of these findings with respect to appropriate interval of speech processor upgrades are discussed.

A comparison of postcochlear implantation speech scores in an adult population.

OBJECTIVES: The vast majority of cochlear implant recipients realize significant improvement in speech perception. However, there continue to be a small group that does not realize such a benefit. In an effort to identify possible predictors for this, we have compared pre- and postimplant audiologic data using Hearing In Noise Test (HINT), City University of New York (CUNY), or Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) scores for 445 consecutive English-speaking adult patients followed for a minimum of 1 year postimplantation in two distinct groups, poor versus excellent performers. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. METHODS: Poor performers were those who realized a worsening, no improvement, or an improvement of less than 10%. This group numbered 58 (13%). High performers consisted of a cadre of 194 (44%) patients who scored between 91 and 100% postimplantation. Demographic data relating to onset of deafness, education exposure, etiology, etc., were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the poor performers, 33 (57%) were pre-/perilingually deafened. Of these, 79% had not received any auditory/oral training in childhood. On the other hand, a total of 109 implant recipients were individuals who were pre-/perilingually deafened. Of these, 24 were in the excellent performer category. All were identified early and were recipients of a strong auditory/oral education. Of the high performers, 170 (88%) were deafened late. Other findings such as preoperative electronystagmography with caloric testing, hearing aid use, device type, and high-resolution computed tomography scan of the temporal bone will be discussed for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: A high preimplant speech score, auditory verbal therapy, and postlingual deafness statistically correlate with higher postimplant speech scores 1 year after cochlear implantation. Device type, caloric response and hearing aid use preimplantation, age at surgery, and sex do not statistically correlate with either poor or excellent speech discrimination scores postcochlear implantation.

Isolated Second Implant Adaptation Period in Sequential Cochlear Implantation in Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if depriving the use of the first cochlear implant (CI1) impacts adaptation to a sequential implant (CI2). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort. SETTING: Academic center. PATIENTS: Sixteen unilateral cochlear implant recipients undergoing contralateral implantation (sequential bilateral) were matched according to age, etiology, duration of deafness, device age, and delay between implants. INTERVENTION: During a 4-week adaptation period after CI2 activation, patients underwent deprivation of CI1 or were permitted continued use of it. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Speech perception scores and subjective quality of life outcomes before CI2 and at 1, 3, 6, and 12-months following activation. RESULTS: Maximal CI2 speech perception scores in quiet were achieved by 1-month postactivation for the "deprivation" group (71.3% for hearing in noise test [HINT], p = 0.767 for change beyond 1-mo) compared with 6-months for the "continued use" group (67.9% for HINT, p = 0.064 for change beyond 6-mo). The "deprivation" group experienced a temporary drop in CI1 scores (67.9% for HINT in quiet at 1-mo versus 78.4% pre-CI2, p = 0.009) recovering to 77.3% by 3-months; unchanged from baseline levels (p = 1.0). A binaural advantage over the better hearing ear was present for HINT sentences with noise (72.4% versus 58.8% for "deprivation", p = 0.001; 71.5% versus 52.7% for "continued use," p = 0.01). Missing data precluded a meaningful analysis of subjective quality of life outcome scales. CONCLUSION: Bilateral cochlear implantation improves speech perception compared with one implant. A period of deprivation from CI1 shortens time to maximum speech perception by CI2 without long-term consequences on the performance of CI1.

Assessment of the psychosocial impacts of cochlear implants on adult recipients and their partners.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study we sought to evaluate the psychosocial and quality of life (QOL) impacts of cochlear implant (CI) treatment on both CI recipients and their partners in a Canadian population. METHODS: A qualitative cross-sectional contemporary cohort evaluation was conducted by distributing specifically designed questionnaires to both CI recipients and their partners at their follow-up appointments over a month at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. RESULTS: It was found that both CI recipients and their partners demonstrated substantial benefit and improvement in multiple psychosocial domains. DISCUSSION: Musical listening was found to show variable improvements between recipients. Further analysis found a simple correlation where the group of recipients who all had a hearing disability for a longer duration had demonstrated a higher proportion of improvement in musical listening. CI recipients endorsed having improved QOL which was in agreement with proxy observation by partners. CONCLUSION: Overall, CI use has been shown to have significant benefit to psychosocial well-being of CI recipients. This benefit is also conferred to their caregivers/partners; which in our society concerned about caregiver burden is quite important to recognize.

Depth of Cochlear Implant Array Within the Cochlea and Performance Outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the depth of cochlear implant array within the cochlea affects performance outcomes 1 year following cochlear implantation. METHODS: A retrospective case review of 120 patients who were implanted with the Advanced Bionics HiFocus 1J. Post-implantation plain-radiographs were retrospectively reviewed, and the depth of insertion was measured in degrees from the round window to the electrode tip. Correlation between the depth of insertion and 1-year post-activation Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) scores was analyzed. Intrascala position was not assessed. RESULTS: Depth of electrode insertion ranged from 180° to 720°, and HINT scores ranged from 0% to 100%. A Mann-Whitney U test demonstrated significantly improved 1-year post-activation HINT scores in patients with an insertion depth of 360° or more in comparison with patients with insertion depth of less than 360° (81% vs 61%, P = .048). Patients with 13 to 15 contacts within cochlear turns performed as well as patients with full insertion of all 16 contacts, while patients with only 12 contacts performed poorly. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion depth of the AB HiFocus 1J electrode of less than 360° is associated with reduced 1-year post-activation HINT scores when compared with deeper insertions. Partial insertion of 13 active contacts or more led to similar results as full insertion.

The economic and societal benefits of adult cochlear implant implantation: A pilot exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Cochlear implantation has been shown to result in significant improvements in communication and quality of life, but little is known about the effect of cochlear implantation and changes in a person's employment status and earning potential. The purpose of this study is to measure the extent to which personal income changes in people who receive a cochlear implant. METHODS: We mailed a survey to a random selection of 150 cochlear implantees who receive health services in a large urban setting. Of the 93 respondents, 65 were eligible for inclusion. Demographics, current income and income prior to implantation were recorded into income categories. RESULTS: With a 6.6-year mean duration from cochlear implantation, it was found that 31% of respondents had increased income enough to move income brackets, with a mean category rise of $10 021. Forty participants reported working pre-implant, while 49 reported working post-implant. IMPLICATIONS: Our results suggest preliminary evidence for an association between cochlear implantation and income. Increased accesses to cochlear implantation may provide opportunities for competitive employment and associated economic benefits for the individual, their families, and society.

Speech coding strategies and revised cochlear implant candidacy: an analysis of post-implant performance.

OBJECTIVE: Technological advances in cochlear implant systems on which a sequence of speech coding strategies have been implemented seem to have resulted in improved speech perception. However, changing selection criteria for implantation have coincided with evolving technology and may confound post-implantation speech perception performance. This study compares speech coding strategy with speech perception performance in severe and profound postlingually deafened adults using one of three successive generations of Nucleus Cochlear Implant speech processors (i.e., Mini Speech Processor, Spectra 22, and SPrint) implementing three speech coding strategies (i.e., MPEAK, SPEAK, and Advanced Combination Encoders; Cochlear Corporation, Englewood, CO, U.S.A.). STUDY DESIGN: Four cohorts of patients were retrospectively reviewed. SETTING: Multicenter, tertiary referral cochlear implant programs in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Four cohorts of patients (n = 139) were identified based on preimplant audiological measures, duration of deafness, device type, and speech coding strategy. Word and sentence recognition scores at 12 months after implantation were compared using MPEAK with SPEAK22 implemented on the Nucleus 22 speech processors (Mini Speech Processor and Spectra22, respectively) and SPEAK24 as well as Advanced Combination Encoders implemented on the Nucleus 24 SPrint processor. RESULTS: Open-set speech recognition batteries revealed significant improvements in word and sentence scores as advancing technology implemented new speech coding strategies. Subgroup analysis of profoundly deafened patients supported this. Analysis of covariance confirmed that the measured differences could not be accounted for by changing selection criteria for implantation. CONCLUSION: Improvements in performance can be attributed to evolving speech coding strategies and speech processors rather than to differences in preimplant candidacy.

Quality of life in cochlear implantees: comparing utility values obtained through the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form Survey-6D and the Health Utility Index Mark 3.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate the changes in health-related quality of life in unilateral adult cochlear implant patients using the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form Survey-36 (SF-36) and the Health Utility Index Mark 3 (HUI-3). To do so, a health utility index was obtained by converting the SF-36 to the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form Survey-6D (SF-6D) to permit comparison with HUI-3 scores in the context of health preference as measured by quality-adjusted life years. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: Eighty-one postlingually deaf adult patients undergoing cochlear implantation completed the SF-36 and HUI-3 preoperatively and at a median of 1.4 years (range, 11 months-5 years) after cochlear implantation. RESULTS: The SF-36 improvement was statistically significant in two domains. The SF-36 data were converted to SF-6D. Preoperatively, the mean SF-6D utility score was 0.575 ± 0.056. One year postoperatively this score increased to 0.590 ± 0.064. The improvement of 0.015 ± 0.082 was not statistically significant (P = .1118). Of the HUI-3 attributes, two showed improvement between preoperative and postoperative evaluations. The overall HUI-3 score increased from 0.464 ± 0.207 preoperatively to 0.611 ± 0.190 postoperatively. The gain of 0.146 ± 0.19 was statistically significant (P < .0001). The intraclass correlation coefficient between the SF-6D and HUI-3 showed a very small correlation, both pre- and postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Against the backdrop of diminishing resources for healthcare, cost-effective analysis is fast becoming an important tool. There remains a strong need for health-related quality-of-life instruments that can truly reflect the benefit of cochlear implantation, in which utility estimates are fundamentally important. The SF-36 scores, when converted to SF-6D, do not correlate well with HUI-3 scores in a cohort of adult cochlear implant recipients. The HUI-3 remains the most appropriate tool for this patient group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Hearing preservation with full insertion of the FLEXsoft electrode.

OBJECTIVES: Hearing preservation (HP) in the context of cochlear implantation (CI) is indicative of an atraumatic insertion, which could potentially offer a clinical advantage to performance, whether such preservation was intended for the application of electoacoustic stimulation (EAS). Our goal was to determine the degree of HP after the implantation of a full-length electrode array (MedEl FLEXsoft). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, within-subject repeated measure design. METHODS: Adult patients with residual low-frequency hearing who received a 31.5-mm FlexSoft electrode array were included. Implantation using soft surgery techniques occurred at a single tertiary referral center between 2008 and 2011. Preoperative and postoperative audiometric data were compared. RESULTS: In 36 consecutive patients at 1 year postimplantation, 6 (21%) maintained complete HP (an increase of low-frequency pure-tone average (PTA) ≤10 dB from the preoperative value), and 19 (65%) maintained partial HP (an increase in low-frequency PTA ≤40 dB from the preoperative values) throughout the follow-up period (average, 368 d). Higher preoperative hearing threshold levels (HTLs) at 1,000 Hz were associated with HP. CONCLUSION: Low-frequency HP is possible in patients implanted with the full-length FlexSoft electrode. Longer follow-up is required to determine if results are maintained over time and if such preservation is in fact advantageous to clinical outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.