Severe Bilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Following Mild COVID-19 Infection Requiring Cochlear Implantation: A Case Report.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) has been reported following COVID-19, but profound irreversible hearing loss after mild infection remains rare. We describe a 28-year-old woman who developed severe bilateral SSNHL 3 weeks after confirmed mild COVID-19, with complete deafness in the right ear and severe loss in the left ear. Hearing did not improve following systemic corticosteroids and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and amplification provided minimal functional benefit. COVID-19-related cochlear injury has been hypothesized to result from inflammatory and microvascular mechanisms, and post-infectious cochlear fibrosis may complicate surgical rehabilitation. Despite these concerns, right-sided cochlear implantation was successfully performed without evidence of cochlear fibrosis or ossification, leading to significant improvement in communication during auditory rehabilitation. This case highlights the potential for delayed, treatment-refractory SSNHL even after mild COVID-19 infection and supports cochlear implantation as an effective option in selected patients.