Simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation in adults: a multicenter clinical study

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Neurosurgery
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) significantly impacts communication ability.
• Cochlear implantation (CI) is an effective treatment for severe to profound SNHL.
• The efficacy of simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation (BIC I) compared to unilateral CI requires further investigation in large cohorts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous BIC I versus unilateral CI in adults with postlinguistic SNHL.
• To compare speech understanding in quiet and noise using bilateral versus unilateral CI.
• To assess subjective user experience with BIC I.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 37 adults with bilateral severe to profound postlinguistic SNHL.
• Comparison of speech understanding (CNCs, HINT, BKB-SIN) in quiet and noise under bilateral and unilateral CI conditions.
• Evaluation of subjective performance using the APHAB questionnaire after unilateral and bilateral listening periods.

Main Results:

• BIC I demonstrated significant advantages in speech understanding in quiet compared to unilateral CI at 6 months postactivation.
• The most substantial bilateral benefit in noise was observed when utilizing the head shadow effect.
• Nearly all subjects (32/34) showed bilateral benefit in at least one unilateral ear comparison, with some benefits from binaural redundancy and squelch.
• Subjective reports indicated improved performance with BIC I compared to single device use.

Conclusions:

• Simultaneous BIC I provides significant advantages for speech understanding in quiet and noise for the majority of patients.
• Findings align with previous smaller studies, supporting BIC I as a beneficial treatment option.
• BIC I enhances listening in simulated adverse conditions, improving overall communication for patients with bilateral SNHL.