Outcomes following Pediatric Auditory Brainstem Implant Surgery: Early Experiences in a North American Center.
There are no approved Food and Drug Administration indications for pediatric auditory brainstem implant (ABI) surgery in the United States. Our prospective case series aims to determine the safety and feasibility of ABI surgery in pediatric patients <5 years old with congenital deafness at a tertiary North American center. The inclusion criterion was pre- or postlinguistic deafness in children not eligible for cochlear implantation. Seventeen candidates were evaluated (mean ± SD: age, 2.52 ± 0.39 years). Four patients underwent ABI surgery (age, 19.2 ± 3.43 months), including 4 primary procedures and 1 revision for device failure. Spontaneous device failure occurred in another subject postoperatively. No major/minor complications occurred, including cerebrospinal fluid leak, facial nerve injury, hematoma, and nonauditory stimulation. All subjects detected sound with environmental awareness, and several demonstrated babbling and mimicry. Poor durability of older implants underscores need for updated technology.
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Sidharth V
SV
Puram
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Samuel R
SR
Barber
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Elliott D
ED
Kozin
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Parth
P
Shah
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Aaron
A
Remenschneider
Department of Audiology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Barbara S
BS
Herrmann
Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ann-Christine
AC
Duhaime
Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Fred G
FG
Barker
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Daniel_lee@meei.harvard.edu.
Daniel J
DJ
Lee
D038262:Auditory Brain Stem Implants; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003638:Deafness / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D061214:Patient Safety; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
ABI; auditory brainstem implant; clinical trial; deafness; hearing loss; nonneurofibromatosis type II; pediatric