The Bimodal project
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Children using a unilateral cochlear implant and contralateral hearing aid: Bimodal hearing outcomes when one ear is outside the UK (NICE 2009) audiological criteria for cochlear implantation
IRAS ID
310933
Contact name
Iain Alexander Bruce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 25 days
Research summary
Cochlear implantation is an intervention which allows profoundly deaf individuals to perceive sounds. Cochlear implant (CI) electrode is programmed to receive sounds in place of patient’s cochlea. Changes to the UK cochlear implant audiological criteria (TA166, NICE 2019) stipulate that a child must now have a hearing loss, within criteria, in both ears to qualify for implantation. Prior to this revision, children and young people (CYP) with asymmetrical thresholds have been considered for unilateral CI when one ear was in audiological criteria, providing it was clear that they were not making anticipated progress in speech, language and education. The latest revision will have a significant effect on those CYP with asymmetrical hearing loss, who will be prevented from benefiting from this life-changing intervention. Children with asymmetrical hearing loss (AHL) represent an important cohort of potential CI candidates, who will continue to be prevented from benefiting from CI unless evidence is produced to support implantation and maximise subsequent benefit. Positive outcomes of cochlear implantation in children with AHL have been reported in the literature, together with the importance and benefits of bimodal hearing (uses a CI with a hearing aid in the opposite ear). To aid multidisciplinary CI teams in their decision-making around individual patients, an evolving understanding of audiological performance of children with different hearing modalities on various audiometric domains is essential. Furthermore, the field would benefit from the identification a formal set of tools that are clinically feasible in the paediatric population, including domains such as sound localisation, speech perception, music perception and listening effort
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EM/0104
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion