Factors influencing consistent device use in pediatric recipients of bilateral cochlear implants

Abstract

Objectives

To determine which demographic or performance variables are associated with inconsistent use of a second implant in pediatric recipients of sequential bilateral cochlear implants (CIs).

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on pediatric recipients of sequential bilateral CIs. Children were divided into two age groups, 5–9 and 10–17 years of age. For each group, we examined whether inconsistent use of the second implant (CI-2) was associated with a variety of demographic variables, or speech-perception scores.

Results

In children aged 5–9 years, inconsistent use of CI-2 was not significantly associated with any demographic variable, but was related to both the word-recognition score with CI-2, and the difference in word-recognition scores between the first implant (CI-1) and CI-2. In children aged 10–17 years, these relationships were not significant due to smaller number of subjects. Finally, CI-2 word-recognition scores across all children were significantly correlated with the age of implantation for both CI-1 and CI-2, and the time between CI-1 and CI-2 surgeries.

Discussion

Speech-recognition scores obtained with CI-2, and the extent to which it differs from CI-1, are most closely related with inconsistent use of CI-2 in pediatric sequential implantees. These results are consistent with similar data previously reported by other investigators. While children implanted with CI-2 at a later age generally perform more poorly, most children still use both implants, and benefit from CI-2 even when receiving the implant as an adolescent.

Conclusion

In pediatric recipients of sequential bilateral CIs, inconsistent use of CI-2 is related to the speech recognition scores with CI-2, and the difference in speech-recognition scores between CI-1 and CI-2. In addition, speech-recognition scores with CI-2 are related to the amount of time between CI-1 and CI-2 surgeries, and the age of implantation for both CI-1 and CI-2.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• Bilateral
• Sequential
• Pediatric

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Elizabeth Camposeo for her help with data collection.

Funding

Support for the first author was provided by NIH/NIDCD (DC 009459).