Cochlear Implant Programming Frequency and Audiometric Outcomes

Sunday, October 12, 2025

9:48 AM - 9:54 AM EDT

Location: 244

Disclosure(s):

Peter DA Eckard, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: Extensive postoperative aural rehabilitation following cochlear implantation can create barriers to utilization of cochlear implants (CI). This study aims to investigate the effect of the number of post-operative CI programming appointments on hearing outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of all adult patients eligible for a CI seen at a tertiary care center. Patient demographics, medical and surgical history, audiometric testing, and postoperative programming characteristics data were analyzed using Student’s t-tests and 1-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons.

Results: Of the 124 patients offered a CI, 100 (81%) elected to proceed with implantation. The length of rehabilitation time and cost were commonly cited reasons for CI deferment. Implanted patients traveled a mean of 79 miles for surgery and 6 (IQR 5-8) postoperative mapping and programming appointments. The number of programming appointments attended was not associated with distance traveled or payor source (p=0.91). The implant manufacturer (p=0.36) and hearing outcomes of AzBio sentence score (p=0.06) and pure tone average (p=0.54) were not associated with number or frequency of programming appointments. The number of active electrodes at 1 year was associated with the number of programming visits after surgery (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Hearing and speech comprehension outcomes were not significantly associated with the number or frequency of programming visits. Underutilization of CIs is multifactorial, but payor, distance traveled, and device manufacturer are not associated with the number of programming appointments. Reducing the number of rehabilitation programming appointments may reduce patient and clinic burdens without significantly affecting long term CI outcomes.

Presenting Author(s)

Peter DA Eckard, MD

Resident
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

Ammar M. Hudefi, BS

Medical Student
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
WS

William Strickland, BS

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
Andrew R. Mangan, B.S.

Medical Student
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
Jonathan W. Reid, MD

Special Continuing Clinical Faculty
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, Canada

Disclosure information not submitted.
CC

Caitlyn Crowder-Jenkins, AuD

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
JD

John L. Dornhoffer, MD

Professor and Chair
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.

Senior Author(s)

Robert A. Saadi, MD

Assistant Professor
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
Little Rock, AR, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.