title: Cochlear implantation in patients with bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss after major blunt head trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To highlight issues that impact on cochlear implant candidacy and performance in individuals who have severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss after major blunt head trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary level neurotology center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients treated at our institution for severe hearing loss after blunt head trauma
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of cochlear implant candidacy criteria and postimplant outcomes in patients presenting with severe hearing loss after major blunt head trauma
  
  
  METHODS
  Cause of injury, pure tone audiology, open set speech perception (preimplant and postimplant), promontory stimulation, and imaging results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 25 patients with severe hearing loss, 11 ultimately underwent cochlear implantation. Fall from a height was the most common cause of injury. Five patients experienced bilateral temporal bone fractures. Seventeen patients satisfied candidacy criteria for implantation. For those patients who did undergo cochlear implantation, the mean postimplant open set speech recognition score was 71. Issues related to cochlear implant candidacy and outcomes for implantation will be discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe hearing loss after major blunt head trauma presents a number of unique clinical challenges. A significant number of these patients are not suitable for cochlear implantation for a variety of reasons. Clinicians working in the area of cochlear implantation should be aware of the various problems that can impact on effective cochlear implantation in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. tssbdj@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Simon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shipp
authors.forename: Vincent Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Julian M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nedzelski
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000150:complications*; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome