Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 7, 2026
Performing Intracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation
Published on: March 8, 2022
Hearing-related quality of life assessment of pediatric cochlear implant users with inner ear malformations
Zeynep Budak1, Merve Ozbal Batuk1, Hilal Dincer D'Alessandro1
1Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
Children and adolescents with cochlear implants and inner ear malformations (IEM) report significantly lower quality of life (QoL). This study compared QoL in pediatric cochlear implant users with and without IEM, finding lower scores in the IEM group.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Audiology
- Medical Engineering
Background:
- Inner ear malformations (IEM) present unique challenges for cochlear implant (CI) recipients.
- Assessing quality of life (QoL) is crucial for understanding the functional outcomes of CI use in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare the hearing-related quality of life (QoL) in child and adolescent cochlear implant (CI) users with inner ear malformations (IEM) versus those without IEM.
- To identify potential differences in QoL perception based on the presence of IEM in pediatric CI users.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 200 pediatric patients (100 children, 100 adolescents) was studied, divided into groups with and without inner ear malformations (IEM).
- Hearing-related quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the Hearing Environments and Reflection on Quality of Life (HEAR-QL) questionnaires (HEAR-QL-26 for children, HEAR-QL-28 for adolescents).
- QoL scores were measured on a 5-point Likert scale and converted to percentage values, with higher scores indicating better QoL.
Main Results:
- Cochlear implant (CI) users with inner ear malformations (IEM) reported significantly lower mean QoL scores (HEAR-QL-26: 50.4%; HEAR-QL-28: 54.5%) compared to those without IEM (HEAR-QL-26: 72.7%; HEAR-QL-28: 65.0%).
- Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in QoL scores between the IEM and non-IEM groups for both children and adolescents (p < 0.001).
- The specific type of inner ear malformation did not significantly impact the QoL outcomes observed.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric cochlear implant (CI) users diagnosed with inner ear malformations (IEM) experience a demonstrably lower quality of life (QoL) compared to their peers without IEM.
- These findings underscore the importance of considering inner ear structure in the management and support of pediatric CI recipients.
- Further research may explore targeted interventions to improve QoL for CI users with IEM.
Objectives:
To assess the quality of life (QoL) in child and adolescent cochlear implant users with inner ear malformations (IEM) and to compare their outcomes to their cochlear implant using peers with normal inner ear structures.
Methods:
The present sample consisted of 100 children (45 with IEM, 55 without IEM) and 100 adolescents (46 with IEM, 54 without IEM). The following QoL questionnaires were used to assess the hearing-related QoL: The Hearing Environments and Reflection on Quality of Life 26 (HEAR-QL-26 for children between 7 and 12 years of age) and HEAR-QL-28 (for adolescents between 13 and 18 years of age). Both questionnaires were based on a 5-points Likert scale from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating a better perception of QoL. The scores were converted to percentage values (never = 100, almost never = 75, sometimes = 50, often = 25, almost always = 0).
Results:
For the patients with IEM, mean scores from the HEAR-QL-26 and HEAR-QL-28 were 50.4 (SD = 18.9) and 54.5 (SD = 19.6), respectively. For the patients without IEM, mean scores from the HEAR-QL-26 and HEAR-QL-28 were 72.7 (SD = 18.0) and 65.0 (SD = 19.1), respectively. For both child and adolescent subgroups, statistically significant differences were observed between QoL scores from patients with and without IEM (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant effects of the malformation type on the QoL findings (p ≥ 0.05).
Conclusion:
Child and adolescent cochlear implant users with IEM had significantly lower scores on validated HEAR-QL versions in comparison to their implanted peers without IEM.
