We speak with Dr. Jacob Hunter about Adult Cochlear Implantation, including patient workup and counseling, surgical tips and tricks, and post procedure followup.

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EARN CME

Reflect on how this Podcast applies to your day-to-day and earn AMA PRA Category 1 CMEs: https://earnc.me/V7lyT6

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SHOW NOTES

In this episode, Dr. Jacob Hunter joins hosts Dr. Ashley Agan and Dr. Gopi Shah to discuss cochlear implantation in adults.

Dr. Hunter outlines the indications for cochlear implantation and walks us through the evaluation process to assess candidacy in adults. He emphasizes the importance of patient counseling in setting expectations for post-implantation hearing. He also describes routine preoperative imaging weighing the relative strengths of CT vs MRI.

The discussion then delves into the nuances of cochlear implant devices focusing on factors such as electrode length, stiffness, and shape as well as hearing aid compatibility. The major surgical approaches are then reviewed along with potential surgical complications. Lastly, the disparities in access to cochlear implantation and hearing care in adults are highlighted.

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RESOURCES

Disparities in Cochlear Implantation:
Dr. Hunter and Colleagues at UT Southwestern:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0003489419888232

Dr. Samy and Colleagues at University of Cincinnati:
https://journals.lww.com/co-otolaryngology/Abstract/2017/10000/Closing_the_gap_in_cochlear_implant_access_for.7.aspx

Disparities in Hearing Care:
Dr. Carrie Nieman and Colleagues at Johns Hopkins:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363549/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5881797/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4826391/

The video version of this Podcast has closed captions on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/3IHUMhH9x0E