Cochlear implantation in adults with auditory deprivation: What do we know about it?

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In the ENT community, auditory deprivation is frequently considered as a negative prognostic factor for a good hearing outcome of cochlear implantation (CI), even if a growing literature suggests that this is not completely true. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results of CI in patients with hearing deprivation, to compare them to results from non-deprived patients and then estimate how time of deprivation impacts on CI outcome and how a bilateral deprivation can affect the outcome compared to a unilateral deprivation. METHODS: Seventy-eight adults with severe to profound post-verbal hearing loss, with and without auditory deprivation history, received CI; audiological results obtained at 3-6-12-24 months follow up post CI were analyzed. RESULTS: No differences were founded between patients with unilateral deprivation and patients with no deprivation. Patients with bilateral deprivation seem to have a worse hearing outcome compared to that of those patients with unilateral deprivation or no deprivation at all. Long time deprivation (>15 years) seems to have a negative influence on the hearing outcome but results with CI remain excellent. CONCLUSIONS: Auditory deprivation should not be considered a contraindication to CI. The duration of auditory deprivation in the implanted ear seems to be a negative prognostic factor only for ears deprived from more of 15 years.