Cochlear implant outcomes in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to review cochlear implantation with respect to surgical and auditory outcomes in subjects aged 70 years and older.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review.


METHODS
Tertiary referral centers.


METHODS
Sixty-five patients aged 70 years or older at the time of implantation were compared to a group of patients aged <70 years.


METHODS
Patients underwent multichannel cochlear implantation with either the Clarion or Nucleus device.


METHODS
Presence or absence of surgical complications and auditory performance with open-set word and sentence recognition testing.


RESULTS
In patients implanted at age 70 or older, significant improvement in speech understanding was demonstrated in performance scores using Consonant Nucleus Consonant words, Central Institute for the Deaf sentences, and Hearing in Noise Test sentences at 3, 6, and 12 months when compared to preimplantation scores. However, their performance was slightly poorer when compared to a control group of patients <70 years of age in the same measures at 3, 6, and 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The elderly population showed significant improvement in auditory performance tests following cochlear implantation compared to their preimplantation scores but performed less well than younger patients.
Chatelin
Veronique
V
Douglas Grant Cochlear Implant Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Kim
Eugene J
EJ
Driscoll
Colin
C
Larky
Jannine
J
Polite
Colleen
C
Price
Laura
L
Lalwani
Anil K
AK
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome