title: Pediatric cochlear implantation of children with eighth nerve deficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the auditory outcomes of children implanted in an ear with eighth nerve hypoplasia or aplasia and to determine whether preoperative characteristics are predictive of auditory performance achieved.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  retrospective case review.
  
  
  METHODS
  tertiary care medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  ten children implanted in an ear with eighth nerve hypoplasia or aplasia, as determined by high resolution magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neural response test measurements, detection and speech awareness thresholds, Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale scores, as well as speech perception level achieved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-implantation, three children demonstrated little to no detection of sound, three had improved detection and awareness of environmental sounds, one developed closed-set speech perception and spoken language, and three developed open-set speech perception and spoken language. No imaging findings appeared related to outcomes. Significantly better implant detection thresholds and Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale scores were found in children who had preoperative aided auditory detection (p's ≤ 0.02-0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some children with eighth nerve hypoplasia or aplasia may derive significant benefit from a cochlear implant. In our study high resolution magnetic resonance imaging was more sensitive than high resolution computer tomography in detecting neural deficiency. However, no imaging findings were predictive of auditory performance level achieved post-implantation.
authors.affiliation: Section of Otology and Neurotology, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, United States. nyoung@luriechildrens.org
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Francine M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Maura E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tournis
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yaras
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000601:surgery*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology