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Access to aidable residual hearing in adult candidates for cochlear implantation in the UK |
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| Authors: | Claire A Fielden Rosa Hampton Sandra Smith Pádraig T Kitterick |
| Institution: | 1. National Institute for Health Research Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit, 113 The Ropewalk, Nottingham NG1 5DU, UK;2. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK;3. Midlands Hearing Implant Programme, Nuffield House, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKclaire.fielden@nottingham.ac.uk;5. Otology and Hearing Group, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;6. Otology and Hearing Group, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK |
| Abstract: | Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) permits candidates to receive a cochlear implant provided they only hear sounds louder than 90?dB HL at 2 and 4?kHz. In some patients, their level of residual hearing may be sufficient to warrant the use of a hearing aid in their non-implanted ear. A survey of unilaterally implanted adults indicated that those implanted since the publication of NICE guidance were almost seven times more likely to use a hearing aid than those implanted prior to this. If contralateral hearing aid use provides additional benefits over implant use alone, it may be appropriate to consider the capacity to use residual hearing following implantation when determining candidacy. |
| Keywords: | Cochlear implants Bimodal aiding Cochlear implant candidacy Bimodal candidate Contralateral hearing aid Residual hearing |