A case series of paediatric hearing preservation cochlear implantation: a new treatment modality for children with drug-induced or congenital partial deafness.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the use of hearing preservation cochlear implantation in children with partial deafness.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Five children with either drug-induced or congenital partial deafness were enrolled in a pilot study. The patients ranged in age from 13 months to 14 years. Implantation was performed using a hearing preservation technique. A Flex EAS electrode (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) was used in all full insertions.

RESULTS

Low frequency hearing was preserved in all patients with postoperative bone conduction within 10 dB of the preoperative hearing levels. These changes were preserved over the follow-up period of 12 months. There were significant improvements in speech perception.

CONCLUSION

Hearing preservation cochlear implantation is a new effective modality in children with partial deafness.