A case series of paediatric hearing preservation cochlear implantation: a new treatment modality for children with drug-induced or congenital partial deafness.

Objective: To investigate the use of hearing preservation cochlear implantation in children with partial deafness.

Methods: Five children with either drug-induced or congenital partial deafness were enrolled in a pilot study. The patients ranged in age from 13 months to 14 years. Implantation was performed using a hearing preservation technique. A Flex EAS electrode (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) was used in all full insertions.

Results: Low frequency hearing was preserved in all patients with postoperative bone conduction within 10 dB of the preoperative hearing levels. These changes were preserved over the follow-up period of 12 months. There were significant improvements in speech perception.

Conclusions: Hearing preservation cochlear implantation is a new effective modality in children with partial deafness.