Cochlear implantation leading to successful stapedectomy in the contralateral only-hearing ear

Cochlear implants have recently begun to be offered to patients with single-sided deafness (SSD). Implantation in these patients has led to good results in suppressing ipsilateral tinnitus and in providing audiologic benefits in terms of speech perception in noise and localization. One previously unreported benefit of cochlear implantation in patients with SSD is the restoration of functional hearing in the previously deaf ear, which may allow for surgical opportunities in the contralateral hearing ear. We report a case in which cochlear implantation in the deaf left ear of a 50-year-old man allowed for surgical intervention in the previously only-hearing right ear, which in turn led to the restoration of normal middle ear function. Further studies may be warranted to consider the surgical candidacy of the contralateral only-hearing ear as another potential indication for cochlear implantation in patients with SSD.