VESTIBULAR FUNCTION IN COCHLEAR IMPLANT PATIENTS

Thirty-five patients receiving a cochlear implant were evaluated using vestibular function tests. Twenty-five patients received an intracoch lear implant (Nucleus). Three out of 6 patients with normo- or hyporef lexia before implantation showed postoperative vestibular damage. In o ne case this was iatrogenic. Together with available data from the lit erature the risk of losing preoperative vestibular function is estimat ed to be around 60%. Improvement of implantation techniques can probab ly reduce this risk considerably.