Bilateral total deafness due to mumps and the outcome of cochlear implantation

Objective: Bilateral deafness due to mumps is rare. Here report three cases of bilateral total deafness due to mumps and their outcome of cochlear implantation.

Methods: Three cases of bilateral total deafness due to mumps were reviewed.

Results: All patients had sudden bilateral total deafness in 3 to 7 days after mumps. 2 had vestibular symptoms. Cochlear implantation has been successful in all 3 patients. Three month after the initial mapping, Case 2 who has been wearing bilateral hearing aids and received one-year language training has the best outcome of hearing and speech than the other two. Case 1 who has been wearing one-side hearing aid and received language training of 6 months has the better outcome than case 3 who has never worn hearing aid and never received language training.

Conclusions: Hearing loss caused by Mumps is often sudden in onset, conservative therapy have no help. Hearing aid and language training are very important to the outcome of speech perception and speech production after cochlear implantation.