Intraoperative and postoperative electrically evoked auditory brain stem responses in nucleus cochlear implant users: implications for the fitting process.

Electrically evoked auditory brain stem responses (EABR) were measured in 12 adults and 14 children with the Nucleus cochlear implant. Measures were made both intraoperatively and several months following surgery. EABR thresholds were consistently greater than clinically determined measures of behavioral threshold (T-level) but less than maximum comfort levels (C-level). When the data were pooled across subjects and different stimulating electrodes, EABR thresholds were strongly correlated with both T- and C-levels. In subjects where both intraoperative and postimplant EABR measures were obtained, intraoperative EABR thresholds were consistently higher than postimplant thresholds. The electrophysiologic data have been incorporated into a practical procedure for programming the implant in young children.