Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
09:10
Performing Intracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation
Published on: March 8, 2022
Electroconvulsive therapy in a cochlear implant patient.
Robert F Labadie1, Nathaniel K Clark, Cheryl M Cobb
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-8606, USA. robert.labadie@vanderbilt.edu
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was safely administered to a patient with a cochlear implant (CI). The patient experienced symptom relief, and the CI continued to function normally post-treatment, indicating safety for future use.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Otolaryngology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a crucial treatment for severe psychiatric conditions.
- Cochlear implants (CIs) are devices for hearing restoration.
- The safety of ECT in patients with CIs has not been previously documented.
Observation:
- A 17-year-old male with a Nucleus 22 CI presented with delirious mania.
- Pharmacological treatments were ineffective, necessitating ECT.
- A multidisciplinary team recommended unilateral ECT contralateral to the CI.
Findings:
- ECT was well-tolerated and effectively treated the patient's psychiatric symptoms.
- The patient reported no subjective decline in CI performance.
- Post-ECT device integrity testing confirmed normal CI function.
Implications:
- This case demonstrates the feasibility and safety of unilateral ECT in a patient with a CI.
- Further research is warranted to explore ECT use in the CI population.
- This finding may expand treatment options for psychiatric conditions in individuals with CIs.
