Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of cochlear reimplantation (CR) on hearing performance in children and adults with severe to profound hearing loss.
Material and methods: Retrospective observational study.
Objectives: The main objective of this study was to determine whether there was a difference in hearing performance before and after CR. Secondary objectives were to analyze reasons for CR; to assess correlations between auditory performance and complete electrode reinsertion during CR, age, gender, explantation-to-CR interval, and interval between first implantation and CR; and to assess difference in APCEI score and the French evaluation protocol for implanted patients before and after CR.
Results: Comparison of speech perception scores before and after explantation-reimplantation showed no significant difference (P>0.005) at 1 year or at 2 years after CR. In 80% of cases, reimplantation was due to hard implant failure. In other cases, it was undertaken for soft failure (diminished performance but no abnormalities on integrity testing) (8%), medical reasons (6%), or undetermined reasons (6%). There was no significant correlation between auditory performance at 1 or 2 years and complete or incomplete reinsertion of electrodes, age, gender, explantation-to-CR interval, or interval between first implantation and CR (P>0.005). For the adult subgroup, the French evaluation protocol scores did not differ after reimplantation (P=0.62). Likewise, for the child sub-group, APCEI and CAP results did not deteriorate after reimplantation.
Conclusion: Reimplantation had no negative impact on hearing and speech perception, but provided performance equivalent to or better than after initial implantation.
Keywords: Audiometric results; Cochlear explantation; Cochlear reimplantation; Implant failure.
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