Assessment of the effect of the cochlear implant on auditory percption test results in patients with prelingual and postlingual hearing loss

Our purpose in this study is to perform a retrospective study of auditory perception test results before and after cochlear implantation of patients, who have hearing loss in prelingual and postlingual period. Data collected from 99 patients with inclusion criteria of 224 patients, whose files are examined were evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups as patients with hearing loss in prelingual and postlingual period, and patients with congenital hearing loss. Preoperative and postoperative auditory perception test results of 80 prelingual and 19 postlingual patients were compared with each other. Patient with prelingual and postlingual hearing loss included in this study are evaluated according to their gender, the side of which the implant is applied, the brand of implant applied, and prelingual patients were evaluated according to the age of implantation, presence of consanguineous marriage, post implantation follow up period, average of free range in preoperative hearing aids; furthermore, patients with postlingual hearing loss are evaluated according to their duration of using hearing aid, and the period between diagnosis and implantation. The effects of all these parameters on preoperative and postoperative auditory perception test results are assessed. There was a significant difference between the pre- and post-operative auditory perception test results in all patients implanted in prelingual and postlingual periods (p<0.05). Implant application did not cause any difference in patients with prelingual or postlingual period hearing losses (p> 0.05). In prelingual and postlingual patients; it was found that the gender, the side and brand of the implant applied, and in patients with prelingual hearing loss, the consanguineous marriage, average of free range with hearing device in pre-operative period, and also duration of hearing aid usage in postlingual patients did not cause statistically any significant difference between diagnosis and implantation (p> 0.05).There was a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) in the Ling 6 voice test, MTP and MAIS inventory in prelingual patients according to the preoperative implanting ages in 48 months and over age groups when compared to other age groups, and it is found that this difference is closed after implantation (p> 0.05).In terms of the follow-up time after implantation, there was a significant difference only in the short and long follow-ups of 24 months in the Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (MAIS) inventory (p <0.05). With the cochlear implant, auditory perception was improved in all patient groups.