Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults: Effectiveness and Expanded Indications

Older adults who qualify for cochlear implantation demonstrate significant improvements in speech recognition and quality of life with cochlear implant use. Cochlear implantation is a safe and effective procedure for patients with hearing loss, with some additional medical considerations specific to older adult patients. The indications for cochlear implantation have expanded from cases of bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss to cases of normal-to-moderate low-frequency hearing sensitivity and severe-to-profound high-frequency hearing loss. The expansion of indications for cochlear implantation was prompted by evidence of low-frequency hearing preservation due to modified electrode array designs and surgical techniques, and significantly improved performance when listening with the combination of acoustic and electric stimulation (EAS) in the same ear. Older adults who underwent cochlear implantation as part of clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of EAS have been shown to experience significantly improved speech recognition and quality of life as compared to preoperative performance with conventional hearing aids. REviEw ARTiClE