Prolonged Deafness Duration and Speech Outcomes After Cochlear Implantation: Insights from a Decade of Clinical Data

Highlight

• Longer unaided deafness duration (≥20 years) slows early post-implant speech perception gains but does not reduce 12-month outcomes.
• Patients without measurable pre-operative hearing thresholds exhibit higher rates of device non-use and poor open-set speech perception.
• Meaningful speech outcomes are achievable despite prolonged deafness, supporting cochlear implantation candidacy even after extended auditory deprivation.
• Pre-operative hearing assessment can guide counseling and set realistic expectations for cochlear implant recipients.

Study Background