title: Static balance function in children with cochlear implants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the static balance function in deaf adolescents with cochlear implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 24 adolescents who had received unilateral cochlear implantation for at least 5 years. Each subject underwent stabilometry testing under 4 different conditions: (A) firm surface with eyes open; (B) firm surface with eyes closed; (C) foam pad with eyes open; and (D) foam pad with eyes closed. All of them received tests with their cochlear implant turned on and off. Another 24 age- and sex-matched adolescents with normal hearing were tested in the same way for comparison. Sway velocity and circular area were measured and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean sway velocity of the cochlear implant group under conditions A-D was 1.68, 1.98, 2.36, and 5.25 cm/s, respectively, and the mean circular area of the cochlear implant group under conditions A-D was 7.39, 6.68, 12.21, and 34.27 cm(2), respectively. Both of the parameters showed statistical significance between the cochlear implant group and the normal hearing group for conditions A, C and D (p<0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant balance function change among cochlear implant group with their implant "on" and "off".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that the static balance function in adolescents with long-term use of cochlear implants was worse than those of normal hearing peers. The difference between the cochlear implant group and normal hearing group was the highest when both visual and somatosensory inputs were disrupted. The postural stability was similar whether or not the cochlear implant was activated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Hospital, Department of Health, The Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chuan-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Chen-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kuan
authors.forename: Wei-Hsiu
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology