Clinical Profile and Results Obtained in Patients Treated by Auditory Brainstem Implants

Abstract

IntroductionCochlear implants have been able to treat some types of hearing loss, but those related to cochlear nerve impairment made it necessary to find new ways to manage these deficits; leading to auditory brainstem implants (ABI). AimOur objective is to present the clinical profile of patients treated through an ABI and the results obtained from 1997 to 2017. Material and methodsOn the one hand, patients with statoacoustic nerve tumours (VIII cranial nerve) were selected, and on the other hand, patients without VIII tumours with congenital malformations of the inner ear. Before and after the placement of the ABI, hearing was assessed through tonal audiometry, from which the PTA (Pure Tone Average) and the CAP (Categories of Auditory Performance) scale were obtained. ResultsA total of 20 patients undergoing ABI surgery were included. Eight were of tumour cause (40%) and 12 non-tumour (60%). In 15 subjects (75%) a suboccipital approach was performed and in 5 (25%) translabyrinthine. The mean of active electrodes before the implantation of Cochlear® (Nucleus ABI24) was 13/21 (61.90%) versus 8.5/12 (70.83%) of the Med-el® (ABI Med-el). An improvement in the mean PTA of 118.49dB was found against 46.55dB at 2 years. On the CAP scale, values of 1 were obtained in the preimplantation and of 2.57 (1–5) in the 2-year revision. ConclusionThe ABI is a safe option, and with good hearing results when the indication is made correctly.