Satellite habilitation centres following cochlear implantation - Are they the way ahead in improving outcomes in developing countries?

Introduction: Cochlear implantation is a safe surgery for restoration of hearing in profoundly deaf children. Following cochlear implantation, children undergo rehabilitation (or 'habilitation' for those without previous hearing). The device is programmed after the surgery, so that the user can hear sounds through it and through rehabilitation training, the heard sounds are made to understand.

Audit of Bilateral Simultaneous Cochlear Implantation in Pediatric Population: South Indian Study.

Objective: To conduct a medical audit of bilateral simultaneous cochlear implantation (CI) in patients with severe prelingual sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

Methods: A medical audit of a tertiary care ear, nose, and throat center in Southern India was conducted on data collected from January 2007 to December 2014. All cochlear implantees <6 years of age with severe bilateral SNHL who underwent bilateral simultaneous CI were included in the present study.

Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation in Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder and the Role of Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials in Benefit Evaluation.

Objective: To compare the outcomes of cochlear implantation (CI) in children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) and age-matched controls with profound sensorineural hearing loss, using categories of auditory performance (CAP), speech intelligibility rate (SIR), meaningful auditory integration scale (MAIS), and meaningful use of speech scale (MUSS), and to determine the role of Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials (CAEP) in benefit evaluation after CI.

Methods: Ten patients (8 males and two females) with ANSD who underwent CI were included in the study. Auditory and speech scores were compared between baseline and after 12 months of habilitation in children with ANSD.