How Cochlear Implant Rehabilitation Impacts the Therapeutic Strategy for Vestibular Schwannoma

Audiol Res. 2023 Feb 8;13(1):116-129. doi: 10.3390/audiolres13010012.

Abstract

Background: Since both surgery and more conservative treatments show long-term outcomes in patients with VS, the current challenge in its therapeutic strategy is to offer a cure with lower functional morbidity in terms of facial and hearing preservation or the possibility of hearing rehabilitation with a cochlear implant.

Methods: PubMed and Scopus databases were searched from 2017 to November 2022. Fifteen articles met our selection criteria: (1) patients with a diagnosis of VS, either sporadic or NF2-related; (2) simultaneous or sequential cochlear implantation; (3) specified audiological test results and follow-up timing.

Conclusions: Although the level of evidence for the presently included studies is low due to either the study design or the lack of treatment consensus, CI rehabilitation is a promising option, especially in small VS with compromised hearing and as a salvage option after a failed attempt at hearing preservation surgery.

Keywords: cochlear implant; hearing rehabilitation; neurofibromatosis; vestibular schwannoma.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.