The functional impact of implantable hearing devices in patients with single-sided deafness

Single-sided deafness (SSD) is associated with significant functional impairment such as listening speech in noise and localizing sound. To date, studies on the efficacy of CI and BCI for single-sided deafness are conflicting. Thus, the objective of our study was to describe and compare the functional outcomes between these devices. Thirteen subjects with SSD were prospectively recruited for our study. Six underwent CI and seven received BCI. Word recognition scores (WRS) and disease specific outcome measures were obtained pre-implantation, at 6, and 12 months. WRS improved both in quiet and in noise for CI and BCI recipients. On the contrary, CI recipients displayed improvement in Speech Spatial Quality (SSQ) scores. A decreasing trend of improvement in APHAB scores were observed for the BCI group. BCI recipients showed a significant improvement in WRS (in noise). Conversely, CI recipients showed a great improvement in SSQ scores. These preliminary findings suggest that true binaural hearing can only be restored with CI for better SSQ performance. However, BCIs could be recommended to a sub-group of patients, if listening to speech in noise is a priority.