Mapping of Paediatric Cochlear Implant Recipients using EABR as a Tool

Abstract

Mapping of Paediatric Cochlear Implant Recipients using EABR as a Tool Objective: With expanding cochlear implant candidacy criteria young children, children with additional co-morbidities and abnormal cochlea are being implanted. In many of these cases, the child’s behavioural or cognitive limitations may make doing the task of behavioural mapping difficult or impossible in paediatric cochlear implant recipients (CIR). Therefore, the present study was aimed to determine whether behavioural thresholds could be predicted from objective measurements of electrical auditory brainstem responses (EABR). Methods: 75 paediatric CIR using Nucleus 24 R (ST) implant and operated and visiting the cochlear implant centre of a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India were prospectively enrolled in the study. The correlation between post-operative t- EABR with behaviourally obtained T and C levels was studied for CIR in the age range of 5-9 years. Statistical Analysis: The significance of correlation was calculated using Karl Pearson’s correlation. Results: Mean age of CIR was 9 ± 1.6 years, with M:F :: 38:37. Out of the 75 recipients one had mondini deformity and two subjects had auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder as per their medical records. The group correlation coefficient was found to be r=0.989 at p<0.0001 for the ‘T’ level and r=0.885 at p<0.0001 for ‘C’ level versus t-EABR (threshold EABR). Conclusion: t-EABR was found to be more correlated with T levels than with C levels and it was always between T and C levels.