Results of the MXM Digisonic auditory brainstem implant clinical trials in Europe.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the potential benefit of the MXM auditory brainstem implant for patients with neurofibromatosis type 2.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective case review.

SETTING

Tertiary referral centers.

PATIENTS: Fourteen patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 and bilateral acoustic neuromas underwent implantation with the MXM auditory brainstem implant during surgery to remove the second-side tumor.

RESULTS

There were no complications related to the auditory brainstem implantation. Auditory sensations were present for 12 of 14 patients (86%). Global results indicated an improved quality of life for the patients receiving auditory sensations, in part because of their auditory orientation within the environment. Eighty-nine percent of patients tested with an open-set sentence test demonstrated enhancement of speech understanding as a result of lip-reading improvement when auditory brainstem implant sound was combined with lip-reading. A few patients (36%) had some speech understanding in sound-only mode. One patient was able to have limited phone conversations.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that significant auditory benefit can be derived from the MXM auditory brainstem implant.