A study published in the American Journal of Otolaryngology concludes that cochlear implants are a safe and effective way for organ transplant patients to have their hearing restored.
It is an unfortunate reality that some organ transplant patients lose their hearing as a result of their transplant-related drug regime. The good news is that a study published in the American Journal of Otolaryngology by researchers at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University concludes that cochlear implants are a safe and effective way for these patients to have their hearing restored.
The antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs required for organ transplant patients following their surgery can cause deafness because they can destroy cells that produce the fluid needed to help convert sound waves to neural impulses that the brain can interpret. Drugs that prevent the immune system from attacking a transplanted organ can also leave the inner ear vulnerable to infection.
The study provides evidence that patients can restore their hearing without additional health risks if they wait at least six months after their organ transplant and take the right antibiotic before and after the cochlear implant procedure. The study was co-authored by Dr. Brian J. McKinnon, otologist and neurotologist and Dr. Kenneth C. Iverson, Chief Resident in otolaryngology.