Multichannel cochlear implantation in the rehabilitation of post-traumatic sensorineural hearing loss

Although there is a 17% to 56% incidence of sensorineural hearing loss following head injury, to our knowledge cochlear implants have not been used in treatment of this problem in patients with cognitive deficits and aphasia. We report our experience with multichannel cochlear implantation in one such patient. The patient is a 26-year-old man with bitemporal lobe damage and T-11 pareglegia. The clinical profile showed emotional lability, perseveration of thought, impulsivity, good visuospatial orientation, and adequate use of oral and written language in conveying basic needs. Audiologic evaluation showed profound sensorineural hearing loss. Middle latency responses suggested intact thalamocortial pathways. The patient was provided with a multichannel cochlear implant with improvement in his speech recognition and functional skills. We conclude that the cochlear implant should be considered in patients with traumatic sensorineural hearing loss with relatively intact cognitive skills.