title: The cochlear implant as a tinnitus treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tinnitus is a symptom of high prevalence in patients with cochlear pathology. We studied the evolution of tinnitus in patients undergoing unilateral cochlear implantation for treatment of profound hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a longitudinal, retrospective study of patients that underwent unilateral cochlear implantation and who had bilateral tinnitus. Tinnitus was assessed quantitatively and qualitatively before surgery and at 6 and 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated 20 patients that underwent unilateral cochlear implantation with a Nucleus(®) CI24RE Contour Advance™ electrode device. During the periods in which the device was in operation, improvement or disappearance of tinnitus was evidenced in the ipsilateral ear in 65% of patients, and in the contralateral ear, in 50%. In periods in which the device was disconnected, improvement or disappearance of tinnitus was found in the ipsilateral ear in 50% of patients, and in the ear contralateral to the implant in 45% of the patients. In 10% of the patients, a new tinnitus appeared in the ipsilateral ear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients with profound hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus treated with unilateral cochlear implantation improved in a high percentage of cases, in the ipsilateral ear and in the contralateral ear.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España. hvalles@salud.aragon.es
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vallés-Varela
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Royo-López
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carmen-Sampériz
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sebastián-Cortés
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alfonso-Collado
mesh_terms: D003054:Cochlear Implants; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Acúfeno; Cochlear implants; Hearing loss; Hipoacusia; Implante coclear; Tinnitus