Auditory brainstem implant in total cochlear ossification

• Published in: Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery Vol. 131; no. 2; p. P240
• Main Authors: Colletti, Vittorio, Carner, Marco, Fiorino, Francesco G., Avesani-Colletti, Liliana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Mosby, Inc 01-08-2004; SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 0194-5998; 1097-6817
• DOI: 10.1016/j.otohns.2004.06.476

Objectives: Application of an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) has proven to be a valid method for rehabilitating subjects with disorders disconnecting the auditory periphery from the central auditory pathways. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of ABI in rehabilitating subjects with bilateral cochlear ossification.
Methods: Over the period from April 1997 to December 2003, 50 patients (40 adults, 10 children) were fitted with ABI in our department. The present study deals with ABI application in 12 subjects (10 adults, 2 children) with bilateral cochlear ossification. Ossification was due to otosclerosis (6 subjects), bacterial meningitis (4 subjects), or chronic otitis media (2 subjects). A Nucleus 24-channel ABI was fitted in all patients by the retrosigmoid approach.
Results: The implants were activated approximately 6 weeks after surgery. Eleven to 18 electrodes were active at the latest follow-up. The following scores were achieved in perception tests: (1) detection of instrumental sounds: 90% to 100%; (2) discrimination of 2- or 3-syllable words: 80% to 100%; (3) identification of 2- or 3-syllable words: 40% to 100%; (4) word recognition: 10% to 100%; (5) sentence recognition: 0 to 100%; (6) speech tracking: 0 to 40 words per minute.
Conclusion: On the basis of the auditory results achieved, we believe that the ABI is a valuable technique for rehabilitating subjects with total deafness due to bilateral cochlear ossification. ABI may enable the deaf patient to participate, understand and interact with the world around him or her and avoid social isolation. ABI is a reliable alternative to cochlear implantation, which at best is able to stimulate only a limited number of spiral ganglion cells.