Patients were identified from a database of pediatric cochlear implant patients at a tertiary care center. All patients were diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss by otoacoustic emission and auditory brainstem response. Follow-up ranged from 2 months to 5 years.
Fourteen of 15 patients had full insertions of the electrode hardware. Less than full insertion and post-operative CSF otorrhea occurred in one patient with severe cochlear abnormalities. There were no other perioperative surgical complications. The average speech detection threshold was 27.6 dB (20–45 dB) at approximately 1–3 months post-stimulation and 25 dB (15–30 dB) at approximately 5–7 months.
In our experience, we feel cochlear implantation is safe for infants as young as 6 months of age. The current standard at our institution is to implant by 7 months of age for prelingual deafness as opposed to waiting additional time until 12 months of age before the brain is presented with speech.
Cochlear implants: Referral, selection and rehabilitati... Current Paediatrics |
Cochlear implants: Referral, selection and rehabilitation Current Paediatrics, Volume 16, Issue 5, October 2006, Pages 360-365 D. Owens, A. Espeso, J. Hayes, R.G. Williams Abstract SummaryProfound bilateral hearing loss is an uncommon but significant cause of morbidity in the paediatric community. Without adequate treatment, children fail to develop the ability to develop linguistic and communicative skills, with a significant impact on education, socio-emotional development and future professional prospects. Cochlear implants have dramatically changed the prospects for profoundly deaf children. This article reviews cochlear implantation in respect to candidate selection, the procedure, its complications and rehabilitation.Purchase PDF (253 K) |
Cochlear implantation in infants younger than 12 months International Congress Series |
Cochlear implantation in infants younger than 12 months International Congress Series, Volume 1273, November 2004, Pages 376-379 William M. Luxford, Laurie S. Eisenberg, Karen C. Johnson, Erin M. Mahnke Abstract In recent years, the Food and Drug Administration has lowered the approved age for cochlear implantation to 12 months. However, data from implant manufacturers reveals that children even younger than 12 months of age have been implanted within the past few years, including 137 infants in the United States and over 500 infants worldwide. Implantation of infants has raised significant concerns about pre-implant hearing assessment, surgical risks, and post-implant programming. Although caution is warranted when implanting very young children, the benefits of early implantation in carefully selected infants may mitigate the concerns. Purchase PDF (109 K) |
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