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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Cochlear implantation in adults with single-sided deafness: generic and disease-specific long-term quality of life
Franz Muigg1,2, Harald R Bliem3, Heike Kühn4
1Department for Hearing Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. franz.muigg@tirol-kliniken.at.
Purpose:
To determine the 2-year outcome of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults who received a cochlear implant (CI) for single-sided deafness (SSD).
Methods:
Twenty adults (mean age at implantation: 47 ± 11 years) with SSD (PTA worse ear: 113 dB HL, PTA better ear: 14 dB HL) were administered the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ), and the Health Utility Index 3 (HUI 3). Questionnaire administration occurred before cochlear implantation and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after implant activation.
Results:
Of the 20 patients, 2 discontinued CI use within the observation period due to poor benefit. The NCIQ total score of the sample increased significantly over time (p = 0.003). The largest increase occurred within the first 3 months of CI use. Also, the HUI 3 multi-attribute utility score increased significantly (p = 0.03). The post-treatment increase of this score (+ 0.11 points) indicated that the gain in HRQoL was clinically relevant. Patients with a duration of deafness > 10 years had in all measures an equal HRQoL improvement than had patients with a duration of deafness < 10 years.
Conclusion:
Cochlear implantation led to significant improvement of hearing-specific and generic HRQoL in our patients. The improvement was seen after 3 or 6 months but did not increase further at later intervals. Patients with long-lasting SSD may be at higher risk of discontinuing CI use. However, if they adapt to the CI, they can experience an equal increase of HRQoL as patients with a short duration of SSD.
