Outcome of Cochlear Implantation in Post-Meningitis Deaf Children

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Cochlear implantation (CI) is an effective procedure for treatment of children with severe to profound Sensori-neural hearing loss (SNHL). In spite of suitable outcome in many patients, choosing the candidates should be regarding to the child age and etiology (congenital or acquired SNHL) (1-4). Bacterial meningitis (BM) is one of the most common etiologies of acquired SNHL which estimated approximately 60-90% of all cases of secondary SNHL at children (5). Due to concomitant neurological sequelae such as seizure, visual impairment and hydrocephalus, the successful outcome of CI in these cases remained doubtful. We introduce a case series about outcome of cochlear im-plantation at children with SNHL due to BM as the preliminary report from Iran. Two hundred eighty-four children with hearing loss presenting to the cochlear implantation center of the Baqiyatallah Hospital between 2008 and 2010 were evaluated and finally, eight children with Post Meningitis deafness (PMD) were enrolled. Profound SNHL was confirmed based on the average of pre-implantation unaided pure-tone thresholds over 90 dB. There were complementary investigations for overruling other cause of SNHL. The Nucleus 22 channel device and a speech processors device was used, routinely although other option has been considered in special subjects. Each cases assessed by Nerve Response Telemetry (NRT) intra-operatively and 45 days after surgery. Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) and Categories of Auditory Perception scale (CAP) tests was conducted in the best-aided situation both before and after implantation.6 All cases were assessed at three, six, 12, and 24 months after CI. This investigation was approved by the ethical review board. The mean age of children at the meningitis diagnosis was 15.75 ± 6.77 (Mean ± SD) months and the mean age at cochlear implantation was 31.12 ± 1.27 months. Two patients was male (patients number 1&4). The microorganism cultured from the CSF was identified in 3 (37.5%) patients. In three patients (No. 1, 3&4) the causative microorganism was Streptococcus Pneumoniae (Pneumococcus) and in other subjects causative microorganisms were unknown. Electrode insertion in 6 out of eight patients was complete but two children required co-chlear drill-out and in one child short electrodes was used. There was no serious complication after operation during 6 months follow up. We used SPSS version 16 and repeated measured ANOVA test to compare the CAP and SIR findings. By using this test we …