Short-Term Clinical Outcome of Neuro OneÂ® System Cochlear Implantation in Korean Adults

Lee, Yong Woo; Kim, Min Beom; Chang, Sun O

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
This study analyzed short-term clinical outcome and safety of Neuro One® (Oticon Medical) cochlear implantation on postlingually deafened Korean adults.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
A prospective study was performed on five postlingually deafened Korean adults who underwent Neuro One® cochlear implantation between April and June, 2016. All cases were successfully implanted via round window approach. Preoperative pure tone audiometry and speech perception score [phonetically balanced (PB) words, bi-syllable words, Korean version-central institute for the deaf (K-CID)], intraoperative evoked compound action potential (ECAP), postoperative audiometry, aided warble-tone thresholds and speech perception scores after 6 months were evaluated. Residual hearing group was defined as patients with below 40 dB of average audiometric threshold in low frequency (250 and 500 Hz). Preservation of residual hearing and postoperative complication were also evaluated.
RESULTS
The mean age of five patients (3 men, 2 women) was 37.6 years. All of the recipients were unsatisfied about the conventional hearing aid. Two patients met the criteria for belonging to a residual hearing group. The audiometric threshold on the implanted side was 102.8 dB, and the opposite side was 89.6 dB. The speech perception score with hearing aid resulted in the PB word score of 35.5%, bi-syllable word score of 50%, and the open set sentence test of 62.5% on the average. The mean operation time was 87 minutes. Three patients showed normal ECAP response throughout the entire electrode intraoperatively, but the other two patients could not detect ECAP response intraoperatively. However, we could eventually identify ECAP responses in all cases postoperatively. All patients of residual hearing group could preserve their residual hearing without deteriorating more than 10 dB on audiometry. At 6 months after implantation, there was significant improvement of speech perception scores (PB word score was 54.1%; bi-syllable word score was 68.1% and K-CID was 86.2%).
CONCLUSION
Neuro One® cochlear implant system was able to preserve residual hearing with relative short operation time. Short-term clinical outcome showed no significant difference with other cochlear implant devices. However, intraoperative ECAP measurement was not consistent. Further investigation was necessary.