Single-sided deafness: Bone conduction devices or cochlear implantation? A systematic review with meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Single-sided deafness (SSD) presents significant challenges in hearing, impacting speech perception, sound localization, and quality of life.
• Bone conduction devices (BCDs) and cochlear implants (CIs) are therapeutic options for SSD, but their comparative efficacy requires systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy of BCDs versus CIs in SSD.
• To evaluate outcomes including speech discrimination in noise, sound localization, tinnitus suppression, and patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL for English articles published in the last 10 years.
• Random effects meta-analyses were performed on studies meeting predefined criteria, focusing on speech perception in noise, sound localization, and tinnitus intensity.
• Patient satisfaction and quality of life were secondary outcomes.

Main Results:

• Nineteen articles with 210 SSD patients (95 BCD, 115 CI) were analyzed.
• Cochlear implantation showed statistically significant benefits in sound localization, tinnitus suppression, and global quality of life.
• Bone conduction devices demonstrated superior performance in speech discrimination in noise and background noise quality of life.

Conclusions:

• Cochlear implants are a highly effective option for SSD, offering significant improvements in key auditory functions and quality of life.
• Bone conduction devices remain a valuable treatment for SSD, particularly for enhancing speech discrimination in noisy environments and improving patient satisfaction in such settings.