STUDIES AT A GLANCE 

New scientific studies summarized for you 

Study: Cochlear Implantation in Elderly Patients  

(Original title: Cochlear Implantation in Elderly Patients: Survival Duration, Hearing Outcomes, Complication Rates, and Cost Utility. Audiol Neurootol. 2021 Aug 20;1-10. doi: 10.1159/000517315. Online ahead of print. Hammond-Kenny A et al.)  

Key message:  

Cochlear implantation is a safe and well tolerated procedure for people over 80 years of age. Improvements in hearing performance and quality of life are similar to those of younger age groups.  

Background:  

The number of older patients who qualify for a cochlear implant is increasing. This retrospective study looked at complication rates, survival duration and audiological results of 122 patients aged 80 years and older at the time of cochlear implant surgery.  

• Evaluation period: 2001-2019  
• Average age: 84 years  
• Average ASA classification: 2.1  

Results:   

• The average PTA threshold improved from 108 dB HL preop to 28 dB HL postop.  
• Sentence test results improved from 14% preop to 73% correct 12 months postop  

• Complication rate was at 15.3% (19 patients). All complications were minor and temporary (dizziness, taste change, tinnitus, wound infections). No serious cardiologic, pulmonary or neurologic complications were observed during anaesthesia, no facial palsies were reported, no patient had to be treated on ICU.  
• Higher age at implantation and higher ASA classification lowered the average speech performance score.  
• Survival duration with cochlear implant:   

• 31% (38 participants) of patients implanted between 2001-2019 died before March 2020. The average survival duration with CI in this group was 49 months.  
• 69% (84 participants) were alive in March 2021, the average survival duration with CI in this group was 47 months.  

  Read the study here: https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/517315