Functional Outcomes in Cochleostomy and Round Window Insertion Technique: Difference or No Difference?

With the introduction and rapid development of Cochlear Implants since the 1970s, there has been marked improvement in the speech recognition and spoken language skills of the implanted profoundly deaf children. The cochlear implant can be done by means of different techniques, traditionally by Cochleostomy method and round window membrane (RWM) insertion technique. Post operatively, the functional outcomes are measured by many scores more commonly by Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) and Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) scores. To study the speech and hearing perception skills in pediatric cases of Congenital non syndromic bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss after Cochleostomy and Round Window Insertion technique of Cochlear Implantation. 31 patients clinically diagnosed as congenital non syndromic bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss who had undergone Cochlear implantation either by Cochleostomy or by RWM insertion technique and fulfilling the eligibility criteria were enrolled for study. Post operatively functional outcomes were assessed subjectively by measuring CAP and SIR scores. All the patients showed increase in their CAP and SIR scores post-operatively, measured at 03 months, 06 months and 01 year after Cochlear Implantation. The mean CAP and SIR scores in the two groups were comparable at 03 months, 06 months and 1 year after surgery. There was no significant difference in the speech and hearing perception skills of post implantees in the two groups (p value < 0.05). There is no difference in functional outcomes of Cochlear implantation by Cochleostomy and round window membrane insertion technique.