Musical ear syndrome in adult cochlear implant patients.
OBJECTIVE
Except for a single case report, musical ear syndrome in cochlear implantees has not been studied. We aimed to study the prevalence and nature of musical ear syndrome among adult cochlear implant patients, as well as the effect on their emotional well-being. STUDY DESIGN, PATIENTS AND INTERVENTION: A cross-sectional survey of patients aged 18 years and above who had received cochlear implants for profound hearing loss between 1997 and 2010.


RESULTS
Of the 82 patients studied, 18 (22 per cent) were found to have experienced musical ear syndrome. Seven and 11 patients had musical ear syndrome prior to and after cochlear implantation, respectively. The character of musical ear syndrome symptoms was described as instrumental music (n = 2), singing (6) or both (10). Fourteen patients reported an adverse emotional effect, with three expressing ‘intolerance’.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, 22 per cent of cochlear implantees experienced musical ear syndrome. These symptoms affected patients’ emotional state, but most coped well. Musical ear syndrome can occur prior to and after cochlear implantation.
Department of Otolaryngology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
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Low
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Tham
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D'Souza
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Teng
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception; D003054:Cochlear Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult