scholarly journals Alteration of Vestibular Function in Pediatric Cochlear Implant Recipients

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajime Koyama ◽  
Akinori Kashio ◽  
Chisato Fujimoto ◽  
Tsukasa Uranaka ◽  
Yu Matsumoto ◽  
...  

Background: Vestibular dysfunction is a complication of cochlear implantation (CI). Reports on the evaluation of vestibular function before and after CI are limited, especially in children. We investigated the effect of CI on vestibular function in pediatric patients.Patients and Methods: We routinely evaluated vestibular function before but not immediately after CI. Therefore, patients who underwent sequential bilateral CI were enrolled in this study. Seventy-three children who underwent sequential CI from 2003 to 2020 at our hospital were included. Since the vestibular function of the first implanted ear was evaluated before the second surgery for the contralateral ear, post-CI evaluation timing differed among the cases. The evaluation included a caloric test, a cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test, and a damped rotation test. The objective variables included the results of these tests, and the explanatory variables included the age at surgery, cause of hearing loss, electrode type, and surgical approach used. The associations of these tests were analyzed.Results: cVEMP was the most affected after CI (36.1%), followed by the caloric test (23.6%), and damped rotation test (7.8%). Cochleostomy was significantly more harmful than a round window (RW) approach or an extended RW approach based on the results of the caloric test (p = 0.035) and damped rotation test (p = 0.029). Perimodiolar electrodes affected the caloric test results greater than straight electrodes (p = 0.041). There were no significant associations among these tests' results.Conclusions: Minimally invasive surgery in children using a round window approach or an extended round window approach with straight electrodes is desirable to preserve vestibular function after CI.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruirui Guan ◽  
Yanqi Wang ◽  
Sasa Wu ◽  
Bo Zhang ◽  
Jingwu Sun ◽  
...  

Background: Cochlear implantation (CI) helps patients with severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) restore hearing and speech abilities. However, some patients exhibit abnormal vestibular functions with symptoms such as dizziness or balance disorders, after CI. Whether age at CI and CI approach (unilateral or sequential bilateral) affect vestibular functions in users with cochlear implants remains unclear.Objectives: To investigate the vestibular functions in children and adults before and after unilateral or sequential bilateral CI.Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven patients with severe or profound SNHL who were candidates for a first- or second-side CI were divided into three groups: first-side CI-implanted adults (≥18 years), first-side CI-implanted children (6–17 years), and second-side CI-implanted children (6–17 years). All cases were implanted with the round window approach to minimize damage to the intra-cochlear structures. The caloric test, vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test, video head impulse test (vHIT), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Pediatric Vestibular Symptom Questionnaire (PVSQ), and audiometric tests were performed before and 1 month after CI.Results: The abnormal rates of caloric test and VEMP test after CI in the first-side CI-implanted adults and children significantly increased compared with those before CI. The pre-implantation VEMP test showed significantly higher abnormal rates between first- and second-side CI-implanted children. No other significant differences of abnormal rates between first- and second-side CI-implanted children or between first-side CI-implanted adults and children were found. In second-side CI-implanted children, PVSQ scores significantly increased at day 3 post-implantation but decreased at day 30.Conclusion: CI has a negative effect on the results of caloric and VEMP tests, but not on vHIT, indicating that the otolith and low-frequency semicircular canal (SCC) are more vulnerable to damage from CI. The alterations of vestibular functions resulting from CI surgery may be independent of age at CI and CI approach (unilateral or sequential bilateral). Long-term impacts on the vestibular function from CI surgery, as well as the chronic electrical stimulation to the cochlea, are still to be investigated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keita Tsukada ◽  
Shin-ichi Usami

Background: The development of less traumatic surgical techniques, such as the round window approach (RWA), as well as the use of flexible electrodes and post-operative steroid administration have enabled the preservation of residual hearing after cochlear implantation (CI) surgery. However, consideration must still be given to the complications that can accompany CI. One such potential complication is the impairment of vestibular function with resulting vertigo symptoms. The aim of our current study was to examine the changes in vestibular function after implantation in patients who received CI using less traumatic surgery, particularly the RWA technique.Methods: Sixty-six patients who received CI in our center were examined by caloric testing, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) and ocular VEMP (oVEMP) before or after implantation, or both, to obtain data on semicircular canal, saccular and utricular function, respectively. Less traumatic CI surgery was performed by the use of the RWA and insertion of flexible electrodes such as MED-EL FLEX soft, FLEX 28, and FLEX 24 (Innsbruck, Austria).Results: Caloric response and the asymmetry ratio of cVEMP and oVEMP were examined before and after implantation using less traumatic surgical techniques. Compared with before implantation, 93.9, 82.4, and 92.5% of the patients showed preserved vestibular function after implantation based on caloric testing, cVEMP and oVEMP results, respectively. We also examined the results for vestibular function by a comparison of the 66 patients using the RWA and flexible electrodes, and 17 patients who underwent cochleostomy and insertion of conventional or hard electrodes. We measured responses using caloric testing, cVEMP and oVEMP in patients after CI. There were no differences in the frequencies of abnormal caloric and oVEMP results in the implanted ears between the RWA and cochleostomy. On the other hand, the frequency of abnormal cVEMP responses in the implanted ears in the patients who received implantation by cochleostomy was significantly higher than that in the patients undergoing surgery using the RWA.Conclusion: Patients receiving CI using less traumatic surgical techniques such as RWA and flexible electrodes have reduced risk of damage to vestibular function.


2009 ◽  
Vol 130 (6) ◽  
pp. 696-701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinz-Dieter Kluenter ◽  
Ruth Lang-Roth ◽  
Dirk Beutner ◽  
Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink ◽  
Orlando Guntinas-Lichius

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (Suppl. 1-2) ◽  
pp. 50-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Barbara ◽  
Rita Talamonti ◽  
Anna Teresa Benincasa ◽  
Silvia Tarentini ◽  
Chiara Filippi ◽  
...  

Introduction: Cochlear implantation (CI) has been reported to negatively affect vestibular function. The study of vestibular function has variably been conducted using different types of diagnostic tools. The combined use of modern, rapidly performing diagnostic tools could prove useful for standardization of the evaluation protocol. Methods: In a group of 28 subjects undergoing CI, the video head impulse test (vHIT), the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) and the short form of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) questionnaire were investigated preoperatively and postoperatively (implant on and off) in both the implanted and the contralateral, nonimplanted ear. All surgeries were performed with a round window approach (RWA), except for 3 otosclerosis cases in which the extended RWA (eRWA) was used. Results: The vHIT of the lateral semicircular canal showed preoperative vestibular involvement in nearly 50% of the cases, while the 3 canals were contemporarily affected in only 14% of the cases. In all the hypofunctional subjects, cVEMP were absent. A low VOR gain in all of the investigated superior semicircular canals was found in 4 subjects (14%). In those subjects (21.7%) in whom cVEMP were preoperatively present and normal on the operated side, the absence of a response was postoperatively recorded. Discussion/Conclusion: The vestibular protocol applied in this study was found to be appropriate for distinguishing between the CI-operated ear and the nonoperated ear. In this regard, cVEMP was found to be more sensitive than vHIT for revealing a vestibular sufferance after CI, though without statistical significance. Finally, the use of RWA surgery apparently did not reduce the occurrence of signs of vestibular impairment.


1992 ◽  
Vol 101 (7) ◽  
pp. 612-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuya Nomura ◽  
Yi-Ho Young ◽  
Makoto Hara

An animal model of experimental perilymphatic fistula (EPLF) was developed in the guinea pig in order to study vestibular pathophysiology. In experimental animals, 4 μL of perilymph was suctioned from one cochlea via the round window membrane. Changes in vestibular function were as follows. 1) During the acute stage (5 hours postoperatively), spontaneous nystagmus directed toward the normal side was noted in 57.4% of the EPLF animals. This lasted less than 24 hours. 2) One week postoperatively, direction-fixed positional nystagmus toward the lesioned ear was present in 22.7% of the EPLF animals, especially when the lesioned ear was positioned inferiorly. 3) With the ice water caloric test, no response was present in 58.1% of the EPLF animals and an irregular response was found in 22.6% of them, 1 week postoperatively. These results tend to indicate that tests of vestibular function may differentiate between patients with Meniere's disease and those with perilymphatic fistula. Histologic findings indicate that a floating labyrinth is the cause of positional nystagmus and caloric irregularity. The absence of caloric responses was associated with collapse of the vestibular labyrinth.


2010 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Korres ◽  
G A Stamatiou ◽  
E Gkoritsa ◽  
M Riga ◽  
J Xenelis

AbstractObjective:To evaluate the correlation between caloric and vestibular evoked myogenic potential test results, initial audiogram data, and early hearing recovery, in patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss.Materials and methods:One hundred and four patients with unilateral idiopathic sudden hearing loss underwent complete neurotological evaluation. Results for vestibular evoked myogenic potential and caloric testing were compared with patients' initial and final audiograms.Results:Overall, abnormal vestibular evoked myogenic potential responses occurred in 28.8 per cent of patients, whereas abnormal caloric test results occurred in 50 per cent. A statistically significant relationship was found between the type of inner ear lesion and the incidence of profound hearing loss. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between the extent of the inner ear lesion and the likelihood of early recovery.Conclusion:In patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss, the extent of the inner ear lesion tends to correlate with the severity of cochlear damage. Vestibular assessment may be valuable in predicting the final outcome.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruijie Wang ◽  
Daogong Zhang ◽  
Jianfen Luo ◽  
Xiuhua Chao ◽  
Jiliang Xu ◽  
...  

Background: Cochlear implantation (CI) is becoming increasingly used in the rehabilitation of hearing-impaired patients. Children with an enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) need CI for severe or profound hearing loss, with excellent outcomes in hearing rehabilitation. However, vestibular function influenced by CI in children with EVA has not been clarified. We compared the characteristics of vestibular function in implanted children with EVA and those with a normal cochlea.Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, 16 children with large vestibular aqueduct syndrome (LVAS) and 16 children with a normal cochlea were recruited as the Study and Control Group, respectively. All children (mean age, 10.3 ± 4.4 years) had bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and normal pre-operative vestibular functions and underwent unilateral CI. Otolith and canal functions were assessed before CI and 12 months thereafter. Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), and video head impulse test (vHIT) were evaluated.Results: Full insertion of the electrode array was achieved in all the cases. Preoperatively, no significant differences in parameters in cVEMP between the Study and Control Group were revealed (p > 0.05). In pre-operative oVEMP, shorter N1 latencies (p = 0.012), shorter P1 latencies (p = 0.01), and higher amplitudes (p = 0.001) were found in the Study than in the Control Group. The Study Group had shorter P1 latency in cVEMP (p = 0.033), and had lower amplitude in oVEMP after implantation (p = 0.03). Statistically significant differences were not found in VOR gains of all three semicircular canals before and after surgery (p > 0.05). VEMP results revealed that the Control Group had significantly lower deterioration rates after CI (p < 0.05). The surgical approach and electrode array had no statistically significant influence on the VEMP results (p > 0.05).Conclusion: oVEMP parameters differed between children with EVA and children with a normal cochlea before surgery. Systematic evaluations before and after CI showed that otolith function was affected, but all three semicircular canals functions were essentially undamaged after implantation. In contrast to subjects with a normal cochlea, children with EVA are more likely to preserve their saccular and utricular functions after CI surgery. Possible mechanisms include less pressure-related damage, a reduced effect in terms of the air-bone gap (ABG), or more sensitivity to acoustic stimulation.


1986 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Kirtane ◽  
S. N. Merchant ◽  
S. B. Medikeri

AbstractThe bithermal caloric test remains, four decades after its first description, the single most valuable test of vestibular function. However, there are several variations described in the exact procedure of caloric stimulation and in the method of evaluating and representing the test results. For the past 10 years, we have followed a procedure using a constant standardized stimulus and a particular system for caloric nystagmus representation, viz., the Butterfly Chart, and have found it to be very satisfactory. This paper describes our experience with the use of the Butterfly Chart and its clinical application in over 4,500 cases.


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