The Impact of Postmeningitic Labyrinthitis Ossificans on Speech Performance After Pediatric Cochlear Implantation.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

1) To characterize pediatric cochlear implant performance in patients with hearing loss secondary to bacterial meningitis. 2) To evaluate performance differences in patients with and without labyrinthitis ossificans (LO).

STUDY DESIGN:

Retrospective case review.

SETTING:

A large university-based multidisciplinary cochlear implant program.

PATIENTS:

Forty-nine patients with hearing loss from bacterial meningitis who received cochlear implants from 1991 to 2011. Thirty-nine patients had adequate data for analysis.

INTERVENTION:

Cochlear implantation with postoperative performance evaluation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):

Speech perception category (SPC).

RESULTS:

Nineteen (48.7%) patients had intraoperative evidence of LO. Fourteen patients (70.0%) without LO compared with seven (36.8%) with LO developed open-set speech after implantation. There was a trend toward better postimplant SPC outcomes in patients without LO that did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.17). The presence of LO negatively correlated with classroom placement (p < 0.05). Analysis of each group individually demonstrated statistically significant improvement in pre- versus postimplant SPC outcomes (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

The presence of LO may negatively affect performance in pediatric patients receiving a cochlear implant for hearing loss secondary to bacterial meningitis.

• Authors: Christopher C Liu, Melissa Sweeney, Timothy N Booth, Kenneth H Lee, Joe W Kutz, Peter Roland, Brandon Isaacson
• Journal: Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology (Otol Neurotol) Vol. 36 Issue 10 Pg. 1633-7 (Dec 2015) ISSN: 1537-4505 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26536413 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child
• Cochlear Implantation
• Cochlear Implants
• Female
• Hearing Loss (microbiology, pathology, surgery)
• Humans
• Infant
• Labyrinthitis (epidemiology, microbiology)
• Male
• Meningitis, Bacterial (complications)
• Retrospective Studies
• Speech
• Speech Perception
• Treatment Outcome