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Updated: Jun 16, 2025
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Efficacy of cochlear implantation in cochlear nerve deficiency children - A single center study
Pham Thanh Huy1, Le Tran Quang Minh1
1Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
Insights
Cochlear implantation improves auditory skills in children with cochlear nerve deficiency. However, outcomes are significantly better for those with cochlear nerve hypoplasia compared to cochlear nerve aplasia.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Audiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Cochlear nerve deficiency (CND) presents unique challenges for hearing rehabilitation.
- Understanding imaging and audiological characteristics is crucial for predicting cochlear implantation outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze imaging findings, audiological features, and cochlear implantation outcomes in children with CND.
- To compare outcomes between cochlear nerve hypoplasia and aplasia groups.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 25 prelingual children with CND who underwent cochlear implantation.
- Review of MRI findings, audiological data, and Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) scores.
Main Results:
- CND was diagnosed in children aged 1-15 with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss.
- MRI revealed cochlear nerve hypoplasia in 76% and aplasia in 24%; inner ear malformations were present in 52%.
- Mean CAP score at 1 year was 4.8, with significantly lower scores in the aplasia group compared to the hypoplasia group.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation offers auditory and speech performance benefits for children with CND.
- Outcomes are significantly limited in cases of cochlear nerve aplasia compared to hypoplasia.
Purposes:
The objective of this research was to interpret and analyze the imaging, audiological features and cochlear implantation outcomes in cochlear nerve deficiency children.
Material And Methods:
Retrospective analysis.
Results:
25 prelingual hearing loss children diagnosed cochlear nerve deficiency (CND), the age range from 1 to 15 (mean age, 5.04), underwent cochlear implantation at Ear Nose and Throat Hospital - Ho Chi Minh City (ENT hospital - HCMC) from 2016 to 2023. All children had sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) from severe to profound degree. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cochlear nerve hypoplasia in 76 % and cochlear nerve aplasia in 24 % of cases. Inner ear malformations were found in 52 % of cases. The mean Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) score at 1 year after surgery was 4.8. At 6 months and 1 year after surgery, the mean CAP score of the aplasia group was significantly lower than that of the hypoplasia group (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
In cochlear nerve deficiency children, auditory perception and speech performance still improved after cochlear implantation. However, this progress was significantly limited in cochlear nerve aplasia group.
