Cochlear Blood Flow and Speech Perception Ability in Cochlear Implant Users

Objective: The effect of cochlear blood flow (CBF) on speech perception ability in cochlear implant (CI) users has not been reported. We investigated various factors influencing speech perception including CBF in CI users. Patients: Eighty-two patients who received CI surgery at an academic hospital. Methods: CBF was measured during CI surgery using laser Doppler flowmetry. The speech perception level was measured after a sufficient interval after CI surgery. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the influences of age, duration of deafness, sex, cause of deafness, and CBF on the speech perception level. Results: CBF decreased significantly with age but was not related to the speech perception level. In patients with congenital hearing loss, the speech perception level was significantly worse in children who received a CI at 3 years of age than in those who received a CI at 2 years of age or younger. Duration of deafness before CI surgery had deteriorative effects on the speech perception level. Conclusion: CBF may be associated with progression of hearing loss. However, measuring CBF during CI surgery is not useful for predicting postoperative speech perception.