Performance of Sequentially Bilateral Cochlear Implanted Children Who Speak Mandarin

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Cochlear implantation is a key treatment for pediatric deafness.
• Bilateral cochlear implantation enhances sound localization and speech perception, but outcomes for sequential CI2 are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate hearing performance with CI1, CI2, and CI1+2 in children receiving sequential bilateral cochlear implantation.
• To identify predictors of CI2 performance.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 14 children (8-18 years) with sequential bilateral cochlear implantation (mean interval 8.2 years).
• Assessed Mandarin Lexical Neighborhood Test (M-LNT), Mandarin Hearing in Noise Test (M-HINT), and Comprehensive Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (CCIQ) scores.
• Analyzed factors influencing CI2 performance using Mann-Whitney U and Spearman correlation.

Main Results:

• CI2 and CI1+2 showed significant M-LNT score improvement over 1 year.
• CI1+2 significantly outperformed CI1 in M-HINT (noisy environments).
• CI2 performance linked to preoperative bimodal fitting, residual hearing, and daily usage.

Conclusions:

• Sequential CI2 enhances hearing and quality of life, particularly with long intervals and in noise.
• Efficacy of CI2 is associated with preoperative bimodal fitting and consistent daily use.