An evaluation of hearing preservation outcomes in routine cochlear implant care: Implications for candidacy.
BACKGROUND
A retrospective evaluation of pre- and post-operative audiometric data at a single large UK cochlear implant centre over 25 years was undertaken.


METHODS
Analysis of pre-operative hearing levels showed that there was a modest but significant reduction in average pre-operative hearing thresholds among patients referred between 1990 and 2015, particularly in the low frequencies.


RESULTS
The proportion of those referred who would meet widely-accepted candidacy criteria for electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS) grew significantly over time but in the period 2011-2015 just 9% of those referred had sufficient residual hearing for EAS. On average, implant recipients lost 20 dB hearing at frequencies ≤1000 Hz as a result of the surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that hearing preservation is now widely achievable, and that both candidacy criteria and referrer education should take into account potential EAS benefit.
a University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service , UK.
Carl
C
Verschuur
a University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service , UK.|b University Hospitals Southampton , UK.
William
W
Hellier
a University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service , UK.|c Institute of Sound and Vibration Research , University of Southampton , UK.
Chermaine
C
Teo
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Candidacy; Cochlear implant; Electroacoustic hearing; Hearing preservation; Hybrid implant; Service evaluation