Objective: To evaluate the outcome of cochlear implantation in patients wit
h severe to profound hearing loss and visual impairment.
Study Design: Retrospective case review.
Setting: Tertiary referral center with a large cochlear implant program.
Patients: Six adults and two children with severe or profound hearing loss
and significant visual impairment underwent multichannel cochlear implantat
ion. Follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 9 years. Case history, etiolo
gy of visual and hearing loss, and benefit from cochlear implant were evalu
ated.
Interventions: Cochlear implantation and subsequent rehabilitation.
Main Outcome Measures: Speech perception measures were selected based on th
e patient age and cognitive abilities. Identical measures were used in each
patient before and after implantation.
Results: As a group, patients did well after cochlear implantation. There w
as significant improvement in speech perception when compared with the scor
e before implantation.
Conclusions: Cochlear implants can play a significant rehabilitative role i
n patients with severe visual and auditory impairment, Additional skills ar
e required by the implant tram for rehabilitation of patients with multiple
sensory deficits.