Acoustic brainstem implant in a post-meningitis deafened child-Lessons learned

We report a case of a deafened child with advanced labyrinthitis ossificans resulting from meningo-encephalitis. She received a cochlear implant in the right ear, following a drill-out procedure. Post-implant hearing outcomes were satisfactory initially, but deteriorated over time as a result of partial electrode migration. The child subsequently received a left auditory brainstem implantation with improvement of hearing outcomes. Post-operatively, a sub-dural hematoma developed not on the side of the operation but on the opposite side. Simultaneous use of the cochlear implant on one side and the acoustic brainstem on the other, aggravated the non-auditory side effects of the ABI and compromised its potential for optimal hearing results.