Journal Reviews
Cochlear implantation following radiotherapy treatment of vestibular schwannomas
The authors presented a case report and systematic review assessing the outcomes of patients from cochlear implantation (CI) following radiotherapy treatment for vestibular schwannoma (VS). Outcomes of cochlear implantation in these patients are uncertain due to the combination of both...
Cochlear implantation in the over 85s
An ageing population globally, means that the individuals of some countries are now living longer and, as hearing loss is commonly associated with the elderly, there will be more elderly people eligible for cochlear implantation. Hearing loss itself is associated...
Semicircular canal dehiscence and cochlear implantation
Semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD) is thought to occur in 3% of the population, it is mostly asymptomatic, but patients may present with sound-induced vestibular symptoms, low-frequency conductive hearing loss, autophony, hyperacusis and aural fulness. With the increasing utilisation of cochlear...
The impact of bilateral implantation on language outcomes
An American study retrospectively looked at the language outcomes of 204 children implanted either bilaterally, sequentially or unilaterally. All children received their first implant before the age of three years, and language measures were collected when the children were aged...
Which scan for children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss? Keeping the debate going…
There have been years of debate about the appropriate imaging strategy for children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. For those children undergoing cochlear implant surgery, CT may provide some assistance to surgical planning, although this is not necessary in children...
Outcomes at three years post-implantation of the Bonebridge device
This is a MED-EL-funded study of the hearing outcomes and complication rates of the Bonebridge active transcutaneous bone conduction implant (BCI). The authors have declared no conflict of interest. Follow-up occurred at intervals for 36 months post-implantation in all 57...
Can we centralise cochlear implant surgery and keep most appointments close to home?
The NHS Five Year Forward View promoted seeing patients closer to home in order to provide better care, cut down on missed appointments and reduce costs. This encouraged the development of ‘hub and spoke’ models of care, but this model...
Quality of life after cochlear implantation in the older population
Cochlear implants (CI) have been increasingly adopted in older adults with severe to profound hearing loss as a result of the growing and ageing world population. There is much interest in the cost-effectiveness and quality of life in CI users....
Recording of electrode voltages (REVS) to determine extra-cochlear electrodes
Determining whether electrodes are sitting within the cochlea can be difficult as the checks run by the programming software cannot always determine this. In some cases, patients may be unable to give the audiologist detailed feedback which can complicate the...
Identifying congenital CMV: the screening debate
Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a significant global public health burden and is the biggest non-genetic cause of childhood hearing loss, as well as being an important cause of neurodevelopmental delay. Despite a study concluding that there was not enough evidence...
Effect of stimulation levels on speech recognition and auditory threshold performance
When programming a Cochlear® device, two measurements are normally assessed. T levels relate to the quietest sound the CI user can hear i.e. thresholds, and C levels are comfortable levels which are tolerable for the CI user. If these levels...
Early cochlear implant activation and its effects on the cochlea
In this article, Alhabib et al consider the changes to electrode impedance with early device activation (day one) compared to conventional activation (day 30). Activation at day 30 is a cautious approach, which has been popular for many years. However,...
