Update on long-term results with auditory brainstem implants in NF2 patients

Abstract

This study reviews the long-term results of auditory brainstem implant (ABI) in neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) patients. Retrospective chart reviews of patients who received an ABI at the Melbourne Cochlear Implant Clinic since 1995. Ten patients with an average follow-up of five years were included. Three patients received the N22 ABI and seven received the N24. Two patients discontinued use of their devices. Users reported part-time use for approximately four to five hours per day, switching their implants off in noisy environments. Audiological analyses at one to seven years post-implantation indicate that N24 patients showed worse performance at one year post-implantation but they continued to improve and, in the long term, both N22 and N24 groups achieved similar results. In conclusion, ABI provides a safe and useful tool for aural rehabilitation in NF2 patients. This study confirms that gradual improvement in performance occurs beyond one year post-implantation, as speech perception scores continued to improve.