Consistency of Using an Auditory Prosthesis Device Post a Sequentially Implanted Cochlear Implant: Data-Logging Evidence

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore: 1) the average use of each device in sequentially implanted cochlear implants; 2) whether the inter-implant duration between implants produced any significant difference in the average use of the second implant; and 3) whether wearing hearing aids before the implantation of the second cochlear implant affects its average use.

Materials and methods

The study included 20 participants with bilateral Nucleus 24 implants (Cochlear Corporation, Lone Tree, CO). Data regarding various variables were extracted and then analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics for Mac, version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).

Results

The pediatric group included 14 subjects (average age 7.5 years) while the adult group comprised six subjects (average age 37.5 years). The average use of the second device was 0.9 hours per day more than the first in the pediatric group while it was 1.22 hours per day more in the adult group. We also divided the subjects on the basis of duration between the first and second devices and calculated the average use of each device by them. There was no significant difference (p>0.05). The average use by subjects who did and did not use hearing aids before implantation was also insignificant (p>0.05).

Conclusions

No significant difference between the average use of the first and second implants, between the inter-implant duration of the first and second implants, the average use of the second implant, and between using hearing aids before the implantation of the second device and the average use was observed.