TINNITUS IN THE PROFOUNDLY HEARING-IMPAIRED AND THE EFFECTS OF COCHLEAR IMPLANTS

Of the 82 adult patients implanted in the Department of Veterans Affai rs Cooperative Studies Program 304, 22 patients (27%) reported a bothe rsome tinnitus preoperatively. The tinnitus handicap experienced preop eratively in this profoundly deaf population is greater than that repo rted by mildly to severely hearing-impaired patients. The magnitude of their handicap was not correlated with age or preoperative hearing lo ss. After 2 years of cochlear implant use, a reduction in the tinnitus handicap was reported in 9, and an increase was noted in 3 of the 22 patients. In addition, 3 patients experienced a ''severe'' tinnitus 2 years after receiving a cochlear implant, whereas they had not reporte d a ''bothersome'' tinnitus preoperatively. One patient reported a tin nitus immediately after the surgery, but it subsided with in a few day s.