Bilateral Simultaneous Cochlear Implants: How Early Activation Influences Wearing Hours

TL;DR

Early activation of cochlear implants does not significantly affect daily usage but may support better auditory rehabilitation outcomes.

Contribution

This study evaluates the impact of early activation of bilateral cochlear implants on usage patterns and rehabilitation outcomes.

Findings

Daily processor usage was similar between early and classical activation groups.

Older patients used the implants more frequently, while younger implantation age led to less usage.

Switch-on frequencies were comparable between the two groups.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Cochlear implantation (CI) is a transformative intervention for individuals with sensorineural hearing loss, providing auditory and speech perception improvements. Traditional CI activation occurs 4–6 weeks post-surgery; however, recent advancements allow for early activation within 1–2 days. The integration of data logging in modern CI systems offers objective insights into processor usage and auditory exposure, which are crucial for optimizing rehabilitation outcomes. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 63 patients with bilateral simultaneous CIs using MED-EL SONNET2/RONDO3 devices. Patients were classified into early activation (n = 30, activation within 1–2 days) and classical activation groups (n = 33, activation after day 2). Data logging metrics, patient demographics, and implant details were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Poisson regression. Results: Daily processor usage did not significantly differ between groups (9.5 ± 3.0 h/day for classical vs. 9.4 ± 3.7 h/day for early activation, p = 0.927). Subgroup analysis showed a significant 18% increase in processor usage with each additional year of patient age (IRR = 1.18, p < 0.001) and a 15% decrease in usage with each year delay in implantation age (IRR = 0.85, p < 0.001) among early activation users. Switch-on frequencies were comparable between groups, with no significant differences observed (p = 1.0). Conclusions: Early activation is feasible and associated with consistent CI usage, providing potential benefits in auditory rehabilitation. Future research should explore its impact on long-term speech and language outcomes to inform evidence-based practices.

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