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Review
. 2012 Oct;78(5):128-34.
doi: 10.5935/1808-8694.20120020.

Neurofibromatosis 2: hearing restoration options

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Tatiana Alves Monteiro  1 , Maria Valeria Schmidt Goffi-Gomez, Robinson Koji Tsuji, Marcos Queiroz Telas Gomes, Rubens Vuono Brito Neto, Ricardo Ferreira Bento
Affiliations
Review

Neurofibromatosis 2: hearing restoration options

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Tatiana Alves Monteiro et al. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2012 Oct.

Abstract

Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) is an autosomal dominant disease in which hearing loss is predominant. Auditory restoration is possible using cochlear implants (CI) or auditory brainstem implant (ABI).

Objective: To assess the auditory results of CI and ABI in NF2 patients and review the literature.

Methods: Four NF2 patients were prospectively evaluated. They were submitted to tumor resection followed by ipsilateral CI or ABI depending on cochlear nerve preservation. Long term auditory results were described for CI (12 months) and ABI (48 months).

Results: All patients achieved auditory perception improvements in their hearing thresholds. The CI patient does not recognize vowels or sentences. The 3 ABI patients discriminate 70% of vowels and 86% in the 4-choice test. One of them does not recognize sentences. The other two recognize 100% of closed sentences and 10% and 20% of open sentences.

Conclusion: The choice of implant type to restore hearing to NF2 patients will relay on anatomical and functional cochlear nerve preservation during tumor resection surgery. Although our experience was different, the literature shows that if this condition is achieved, CI will offer better auditory results. If not, ABI is recommended.

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Figures

Graph 1
Graph 1
Free field audiometrie thresholds before and after the implant.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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