Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
Robotic Cochlear Implantation for Direct Cochlear Access
Published on: June 16, 2022
Cochlear implantation in pediatric and young adult oncologic population: institutional experience and case-control
Aran Sullivan1, Johnnie K Bass2, Sarah E Warren3
1School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, TN, USA.
Introduction:
Cochlear implant (CI) pathways are well established in the general population, but data on pediatric and young adult cancer survivors are limited. This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of cochlear implantation in this population, described demographic and clinical characteristics, examined timelines to hearing rehabilitation, and reported short-term outcomes and complications.
Materials And Methods:
Retrospective case-control study on patients aged 0-22 years with cancer-related hearing loss and matched peers who underwent CI between December 2010 and January 2023.
Results:
Eight oncologic patients and 20 controls (37 implantations) were analyzed. All had bilateral progressive hearing loss. Except for three oncologic patients, all used bilateral hearing aids before implantation. The time from meeting candidacy criteria to CI was significantly longer in cases than controls (2.8 vs. 0.5 years; p = 0.004). Although most cases qualified for bilateral implants, only two received them. Five of eight oncologic patients demonstrated excellent CI use with good speech recognition.
Conclusion:
Pediatric and young adult oncology patients with limited benefit from hearing aids may be good candidates for cochlear implantation. Multidisciplinary care is essential to guide timely, evidence-based implantation in this population.
