Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) causes bilateral hearing loss due to tumour growth in the cerebellopontine angle. We report the results of promontory testing and transtympanic electrocochleography on subjects with deafness due to NF2 referred for an auditory brainstem implant. All 19 ears tested revealed loss of cochlear microphonics. Nine ears (mainly without previous treatment) revealed auditory perception during promontory stimulation, indicating cochlear deafness. One of these subjects has been successfully provided with a cochlear implant. The other 10 ears (mainly after previous surgery) revealed negative promontory stimulation, indicating additional retrocochlear deafness. These findings indicate that neurofibromas initially cause a cochlear deafness, so that a cochlear implant can be used if the auditory nerve can be preserved. This option has to be considered in rehabilitating patients with bilateral tumours due to NF2.
btw, i'll be the first filipino nf2 patient to have a cochlear implant kasi normally, it's ABI.. :)
Saw you at some tv show some time last year and I hopped on via pedestrian observer's blog. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you're driven and determined.Who's your doctor? I'm a med student at PGH and I think only one ENT specialist from PGH can do the CI procedure. Dunno about the other hospitals though.
Best of luck!
benj
http://atheista.net
@ lateralus: i got the best ornithologists in the philippines.. dra. chiong! and i'm so glad! there only 2 doctors in the philippines who does the CI.. the other one's from UST, i forgot the name eh.. and dra. chiong is the pioneer here in the country.. she's the asst. chairman in PNEI in PGH, so we're talking about the same doctor.. :)
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