Bilateral paediatric cochlear implants: a critical review

Abstract

A recent trend has been the implantation of bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) for children with severe to profound hearing loss. A review of available research on bilateral CIs was conducted to determine the support for this trend. A replicable review was undertaken to evaluate published research studies that examined the effectiveness of bilateral paediatric cochlear implantation. Databases, reference lists, and journals were searched for relevant documents using a pre-determined search protocol. Twenty-nine articles met the review's inclusion criteria and were retrieved and reviewed. This review adds to the previously published reviews on the topic by identifying additional paediatric studies. Sound localization and speech recognition in noise appear to be improved with bilateral compared to unilateral cochlear implants. Similarly, evoked potential measures suggest improved morphology when the second CI is implanted early. Well-designed and controlled studies that explore a variety of outcomes including cost-effectiveness, quality of life, speech, language, and psycho-educational measures should be further explored in order to provide additional support for parents and clinicians confronted with the bilateral cochlear implant decision.