[Tinnitus and cochlear implantation. Preliminary experience].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of cochlear implantation in patients with disabling tinnitus.

MATERIALS: We conducted an evaluation of the effect of cochlear implantation on the development of disabling tinnitus. Three adults with pre-implantation tinnitus, implanted in our hospital, were evaluated for postlingual hearing loss. Patients were evaluated according to the effects of tinnitus on their emotions and activities of daily living.

RESULTS

One patient reported that the tinnitus disappeared and two reported different degrees of attenuation. We did not find any patients with worse outcomes after implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

The beneficial effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus reported in our patients may be due to acoustic masking, through electrical stimulation of the acoustic nerve, all from brain reorganisation of central nervous system (CNS) pathways and cerebral association areas after cochlear implantation.