Predicting Performance and Non-Use in Prelingually Deaf and Late-Implanted Cochlear Implant Users.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze postoperative hearing performance and independent predictors of speech perception and to assess cochlear implant nonuse in adults with prelingual deafness who received an implant during adulthood.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study including all prelingually deaf adults who received a cochlear implant at the University Medical Center Utrecht between 2000 and 2013.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Included were a total of 48 prelingually deaf patients diagnosed with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss before the age of 2 years who received their implants during adulthood.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Postoperative monosyllabic word and sentence recognition scores.

RESULTS

The average maximum postoperative monosyllabic word score for all subjects was 25% correct. Preoperative speech perception and the extent of preoperative residual hearing were both positive independent predictors of postoperative speech recognition, explaining 47% of the variance. Almost half of the population experienced only little (27%) or no benefit (21%) of their implants in daily communication. These patients were more likely to have either no or only low-frequency residual hearing. Eventually, all subjects without any benefit became non-user.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative performance of adult, prelingually deaf cochlear implant candidates, with long-term deafness is dependent on their preoperative speech perception and residual hearing. Candidates who have negligible residual hearing are expected to have no or only limited postoperative benefit of their implants and are at risk of becoming nonusers.