Cochlear implantation in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of cochlear implants in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals and correlate these results with a proposed pathophysiological mechanism of human immunodeficiency virus-associated hearing loss.


METHODS
Retrospective case series and temporal bone analysis of deceased human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients.


METHODS
Tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
Seven human immunodeficiency virus-positive individuals with profound sensorineural hearing loss.


METHODS
Cochlear implantation at New York University Medical Center.


METHODS
The surgical outcomes and complications were analyzed. Additionally, electron microscopic and immunohistochemical findings of cadaver temporal bone specimens of other known human immunodeficiency virus-positive individuals were reviewed. The performance results of the human immunodeficiency virus-positive cochlear implant patients were then correlated with the previously hypothesized pathophysiological mechanism of human immunodeficiency virus-associated hearing loss.


RESULTS
The patients had a varied performance with cochlear implantation, and as a group performance was good. There were no surgical complications or postoperative complications. The good performance of these patients supports the hypothesis that the mechanism of human immunodeficiency virus-associated deafness involves infiltration, malfunction, and premature degeneration of the hair cells and supportive cells of the cochlea.


CONCLUSIONS
Human immunodeficiency virus-positive individuals benefit from cochlear implantation without increased surgical risk.
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016, USA. tom.roland@med.nyu.edu
J Thomas
JT
Roland
George
G
Alexiades
Alexis H
AH
Jackman
Dean
D
Hillman
William
W
Shapiro
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001307:Auditory Perception; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test