Results of cochlear implant surgery in patients with auditory neuropathy

The primary aim of this study was to analyze the benefit of cochlear implants for patients with auditory neuropathy. The secondary aim was to identify risk factors for auditory neuropathy.

Patients with cochlear implants (CIs) who were educated in hearing rehabilitation schools were included in the study. A total of 175 children were operated on for cochlear implantation between August 2019 and August 2021 in the department of otorhinolaryngology at different centers in Turkey, and while 16 (9.1%) of those patients had auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD), 159 (90.9%) had sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Differences in auditory perception between the two groups were examined. Auditory perception tests were applied for these patients 6 months after CI surgery. The auditory perception performances of the patients were evaluated with the Evaluation of Auditory Responses to Speech (EARS) battery, including the Littlears, Lip, Bıs4, Bıs12, Cap, Sır, Mtp-3, Mtp-6, Mtp-12, Matrix A1, and Gasp tests.

All patients had profound bilateral SNHL. Four auditory perception tests (Littlears, Bıs-12, Sır, Matrix A1) showed similar results between patients with ANSD and SNHL, but seven auditory perception tests (Lıp, Bıs-4, Cap, Mtp-3, Mtp-6, Mtp-12, Gasp) showed significantly higher results among patients with SNHL. Hyperbilirubinemia, prematurity, consanguineous marriage, and family history of hearing loss were found to be common among patients with ANSD.

ANSD patients who do not benefit from hearing aids benefit from CI surgery.