Cochlear implantation of a patient with multiple sclerosis: case report and systematic review

Background Cochlear implantation can be used when a patient's hearing cannot satisfactorily be improved after optimised hearing aid fitting. However, in patients with a cochlear nerve or brain disorder affecting hearing, the benefits of cochlear implants are not so straightforward. Methods This paper describes a 58-year-old patient suffering from multiple sclerosis and profound sensorineural hearing loss, rehabilitated with a cochlear implant. Literature concerning cochlear implantation in demyelinating conditions was systematically reviewed using PubMed/Medline and Web of Science databases. Results The patient's cochlear implantation was successful, with speech discrimination scores remaining above 90 per cent for eight years post-operatively. No previous cases of cochlear implantation with multiple sclerosis related hearing loss have been reported, despite the high incidence of hearing loss in multiple sclerosis patients. Conclusion This paper demonstrates that multiple sclerosis lesions should not be an exclusion criterion in an otherwise suitable candidate for cochlear implantation.