Kevin Brown, MD, PhD, Joseph P. Riddle Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Margaret Dillon, AuD, PhD, associate professor of otolaryngology/head & neck surgery, and Lisa Park AuD, associate professor of otolaryngology/head & neck surgerywere awarded the Most Cited Award by The Laryngoscope for their article titled “Benefits of Cochlear Implantation in Childhood Unilateral Hearing Loss (CUHL Trial)”.
Candidacy criteria for cochlear implantation originally included children and adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss in both ears. Investigators on the UNC Cochlear Implant Team conducted a clinical trial assessing outcomes of cochlear implant use for children and adults with moderate-to-profound hearing loss in one ear (also known as unilateral hearing loss or single-sided deafness). Participants experienced significant improvements in speech understanding in quiet and noise and localization, and quality of life. The clinical trial results were reviewed by the FDA, who approved single-sided deafness as a new indication for cochlear implantation for children and adults in 2019.
The clinical trial was one of the first prospective, long-term investigations of outcomes of cochlear implant use for children with unilateral moderate-to-profound hearing loss. Twenty children underwent cochlear implantation at UNC and were followed by the study team that included surgeons, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and researchers who are part of the Children’s Cochlear Implant Center at UNC. The top cited article reviews the study findings from the CUHL trial. Highlights include that children experienced significant improvements in speech understanding and spatial hearing, and that their families reported significant reductions in listening effort. The investigative team is currently conducting a similar clinical trial in infants and young children.