Bilateral Cochlear Implantation Following Acute Meningitis: Clinical Case and Literature Review.
Main Article Content
Keywords
cochlear implant, sensorineural hearing loss
Abstract
A case of a 5-year-old boy who presented with profound bilateral neurosensory hearing loss as a sequela of an acute bacterial meningitis caused by meningococcus is described. The patient underwent early bilateral simultaneous cochlear implantation, with favorable auditory outcomes to date. A narrative review of the available literature was performed. Cochlear implantation is a viable option for auditory rehabilitation in patients with severe to profound neurosensory hearing loss post-meningitis, with early surgery recommended. However, the presence of cochlear ossification may pose challenges during surgery and decrease expected auditory outcomes, rendering audiologic predictions unreliable. Nonetheless, children with post-meningitis hearing loss can benefit from cochlear implantation, achieving good discrimination in open-field settings. Patients without cochlear ossification, complete electrode insertion, shorter duration of hearing loss, and without other neurological sequelae would have better auditory outcomes.
