Long-Term Results in Cochlear Implantation in Single-Sided Deafness in Children and Adult Populations.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to show the long-term effects of cochlear implant as a treatment in both children and adults with acquired single-sided deafness.

Study design: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Patients: 21 children and 20 adults with SSD.

Interventions: Unilateral CI.

Methods: Speech detection thresholds and disyllabic words test (65 dB SPL) were performed in the modalities azimuth (S0), signal CI side (SCI), and signal on the normal hearing (SNH). The normal ear was masked with both white noise of +10 dB of the hearing threshold and plugging the same ear, whereas the speech testing was performed using the cochlear implant wireless system.

Results: All results were obtained up to 48 months after the activation of the sound processor. All study subjects showed improvements in speech test results in all conditions tested. Word recognition in noise in children improved from 42.76% at 6 months after activation of the sound processor to 76.38% at 48 months in the S0 condition, from 50 to 78.10% in the SCI condition, and from 38.48 to 66.48% in the SNH modality. Regarding adults, word recognition in noise went from 45.40% at 6 months of activation of the sound processor to 73.40% at 48 months in the S0 condition, from 52.60 to 76.20% in the SCI condition, and from 43.60 to 64.80% in the SCI condition (p < 0.001). The average duration of use of the speech processor daily was 11 hours in children and 9.4 hours in adults.

Conclusion: When comparing children's performance with adults', progressive improvement in speech discrimination compared with adults was observed.