Mono-syllabic word test score as a pre-operative assessment criterion for cochlear implant candidature in adults with acquired hearing loss.
BACKGROUND
Cochlear Implant (CI) candidates with a ski-slope hearing loss may be outside current implantation criteria [< 50% on Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) sentence testing], despite having a significant hearing disability and limited benefit from conventional amplification.


OBJECTIVE
To use existing post-operative performance data to establish a criterion for Arthur Boothroyd (AB) word test for CI candidacy assessment.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of post-operative AB words scores for 64 CI users was performed and the 10th percentile score selected as a criterion of reasonable chance for post-operative improvement. A follow-up audit was performed 4 years later with a larger patient group of 127 CI users.


RESULTS
An AB word score of 15% was determined using this method and became the pre-implant criterion for future patients. The same score was achieved on the follow-up audit and was adopted as an All Wales criterion as part of the National Audit process.
a North Wales Cochlear Implant Centre , Glan Clwyd Hospital , Bodelwyddan , Denbighshire LL18 5UJ , UK.
Maire
M
Doran
a North Wales Cochlear Implant Centre , Glan Clwyd Hospital , Bodelwyddan , Denbighshire LL18 5UJ , UK.
Louise
L
Jenkinson
D000328:Adult; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Cochlear implants; Implant candidacy; Mono-syllabic word testing; Residual hearing