Long-term speech perception performance in prelingually deafened adult cochlear implant recipients

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the postoperative long-term outcomes after an average of 9.2 years following cochlear implantation (CI) in prelingually deafened adults, along with preimplantation factors predicting postoperative outcomes.

Methods

Twenty-six prelingually deafened adults who underwent CI at >18 years were compared with those who had undergone CI in childhood (<9 years) and were >10 years old. Outcome measures includedhearing thresholds, preoperative and postoperative aided hearing level (HL), speech discrimination score (SDS), and Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) scores. Correlation analyses were performed on the following: SDS results, aided HL, school attendant status, implant manufacturers, and speech processor models.

Results

Improvement was achieved in the aided HL and SDS results, although these results were not better than those of the child group. CAP score was also statistically significantly improved after CI. Statistically significant correlation between the preoperative SDS and postoperative HL with CI results was observed. In other words, the better the preoperative SDS results, the better the postoperative SDS results.

Conclusion

Prelingually deafened adults achieved considerable improvement through CI. It is important to understand that patients achieving better hearing with a well-fitted hearing aid and good SDS performance before surgery may be good candidates for CI.

Keywords:

• Cochlear Implantation
• Prelingual Deafness
• Speech Perception
• Congenital Hearing Loss
• Auditory Verbal
• Quality of Life

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Haruo Yoshida

Haruo Yoshida was the associate professor of department of ORL, Head and Neck Surgery, Nagasaki University until 2022. He specializes in otology, audiology, and cochlear implant.

Yukihiko Kanda

Yukihiko Kanda is a well-known cochlear implant expert doctor in Japan.

Chisei Satoh

Chisei Satoh is the chief doctor of cochlear implants at Nagasaki University.

Yoshihiko Kumai

Yoshihiko Kumai is a current professor in the department of ORL and head and neck surgery at Nagasaki University.

Haruo Takahashi

Haruo Takahashi is emeritus professor at Nagasaki University and one of the most famous otolaryngologists in Japan.