Outcomes in implanted teenagers who do not meet the adult candidacy criteria.
Severe to profoundly deaf adults who score 50% or over on the Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) sentence test currently cannot obtain NHS funding for a cochlear implant according to the NICE guidelines (NICE Technical Appraisal Guidance (TAG166), 2009. Cochlear implants for children and adults with severe to profound deafness. NICE technology appraisal guidance [TAG166]. http://www.nice.org.uk/ta166 accessed 08/02/2016). There is no cut-off restriction from the BKB score for children. This study challenges this restrictive criteria for adults, by presenting the outcomes of cochlear implantation in older children who scored over 50% on BKB sentence testing pre-implantation and therefore would not have been implanted under the adult NICE guidelines. Outcomes are presented using the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale Version C (SSQ-C) (Gatehouse, S., Noble, W. 2004. The Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ). International Journal of Audiology, 43: 85-99.). This study suggests a greater proportion of adults who are currently being restricted from having a cochlear implant would benefit from implantation.
a Cochlear Implant Department , The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital , 330 Grays Inn Road, London , WC1X 8DA , UK.
Fiona
F
Vickers
a Cochlear Implant Department , The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital , 330 Grays Inn Road, London , WC1X 8DA , UK.
Jane
J
Bradley
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom
Cochlear implantation; Criteria; NICE guidelines