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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Robotic Cochlear Implantation for Direct Cochlear Access
Published on: June 16, 2022
Profound mixed hearing loss: bone-anchored hearing aid system or cochlear implant?
Veronique J O Verhaegen1, Jef J S Mulder, Emmanuel A M Mylanus
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Objectives:
We evaluated 5 patients who were changed over from a Baha Cordelle to a cochlear implant (CI). Moreover, the level of phoneme score was determined at which a Baha Cordelle user was better helped with a CI.
Methods:
We offer descriptive case reports and a retrospective evaluation of speech recognition in Baha Cordelle users and CI users.
Results:
In the CI users with noncompromised cochleas, the 10th percentile of the aided phoneme score in quiet at 65 dB sound pressure level (PS65) was 42%. We consider this PS65 as the cutoff level for switching from a Baha Cordelle to a CI. When patients with mixed hearing loss were using the Baha Cordelle, the PS65 of 42% was obtained at a mean sensorineural hearing loss component of about 70 dB hearing level (HL). This 70-dB HL component was used to consider Baha Cordelle users for cochlear implantation. The results of the 5 patients support these transition criteria.
Conclusions:
A CI is a valuable option in patients with mixed hearing loss when the sensorineural hearing loss component exceeds 70 dB HL or when the PS65 with a Baha Cordelle is less than about 40%. In such patients, the implantation procedure should be individualized on the basis of the clinical findings in the middle ear and mastoid cavity.
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