Examination of Cochlear Implants with Stenosis of the Inner Ear Canal

Abstract

Cochlear implants for children are steadily increasing as an outgrowth of the spread of newborn hearing screening and the effectiveness of their usage. As a result, cochlear implants have come to be used even in various difficult cases, especially in patients with labyrinth morphological abnormalities.
We examined five cases in which cochlear implants were used in our department in patients with internal canal stenosis (ICS). In all cases, it was necessary to change parameters and increase the quantity of the electric charge. Sound perception was achieved in all cases, but in many cases a long period of time was required for a reaction to appear, the longest duration being four-and-a-half years. Because speech hearing was poor, we used total communication in all cases.
If there was even a slight preoperative improvement in hearing reaction, we considered this as an indication for cochlear implant.
In the case of cochlear implant surgery for children with ICS, we believe adequate conformed consent preoperatively is necessary in view of the lengthy amount of time required to achieve a reaction, the possibility of a poor reaction, and inherent limits to the degree of conversation achievable via cochlear implant. We also believe appropriate mapping needs to be performed as early as possible after surgery.