Postoperative objective detecting techniques for cochlear implant children with inner ear malformation

This study aims to investigate the changing characteristics and rules of electrically-evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR), electrically-evoked stapedius reflex threshold (ESRT) and neural response telemetry (NRT) after cochlear implant in children with inner ear malformation, and guide postoperative equipment debug.

A total of 88 children with either normal cochlea (control group) or inner ear malformation (test group) received Australian 24 multi-channel cochlear implants. The EABR, ESRT and NRT thresholds at different time points within one year postoperatively and behavioral responses (T-level and C-level) after one year were detected. Furthermore, the changing characteristics and rules of these thresholds were analyzed.

The EABR, ESRT and NRT thresholds were all significantly higher at all time points in the test group than in the control group, but the general changing trends were similar. Particularly, these thresholds worsened at low frequencies and improved at high frequencies. Furthermore, EABR, ESRT and NRT thresholds gradually increased during the one year postoperative period. In addition, an extremely significant correlation was found between EABR and T-level and between ESRT and C-level, but a less significant correlation was found between NRT threshold and T-level in both groups.

The postoperative changes in characteristics and rules of EABR, ESRT and NRT thresholds among cochlear implant children with inner ear malformation were all the same as those with normal cochlea. Thus, these thresholds can be used to guide the postoperative equipment debug for cochlear implants into patients with inner ear malformation.