# Evaluation of factors predicting tinnitus outcomes following cochlear implantation: Protocol for a prospective quasi-experimental study

## TL;DR

This study aims to understand how cochlear implants affect tinnitus in adults with severe hearing loss by tracking tinnitus outcomes at various stages of the implant process.

## Contribution

The study introduces a systematic protocol to collect tinnitus data prospectively in cochlear implant recipients, improving evidence quality for clinical decisions.

## Key findings

- Up to half of cochlear implant recipients experience tinnitus, either before or after implantation.
- Current evidence on cochlear implants' effects on tinnitus is low quality and insufficient for clinical recommendations.
- Systematic data collection will enhance understanding of tinnitus changes following cochlear implantation.

## Abstract

Cochlear implantation is an effective intervention to restore useful aspects of hearing function in adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss. Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of an external source, is common in people with severe-to-profound hearing loss. Existing evidence suggests cochlear implantation may be effective in reducing the negative impact of tinnitus in this population. However, this is contradicted by data suggesting that up to half of cochlear implant recipients experience tinnitus, and that some of these patients who did not have tinnitus before cochlear implantation experience it after surgery or cochlear implant activation. Most evidence on the effects of cochlear implantation on tinnitus comes from secondary data in cochlear implant studies primarily concerned with hearing-related outcomes. Hence, the quality of the evidence for effects on tinnitus is low and not suitable to inform clinical recommendations or decision-making. This study will systematically collect data on tinnitus and tinnitus-related outcomes from patients at multiple points during the cochlear implant pathway to characterise changes in tinnitus. This will improve our understanding of the effects of cochlear implantation for tinnitus in adults with severe to profound hearing loss and inform the design of clinical trials of cochlear implantation for tinnitus.