Suppression of tinnitus by cochlear implantation

Introduction: Transcutaneous and transpromontory electrical stimulation has been described for the treatment of tinnitus. Based on these observations, we postulate that cochlear implantation may relieve tinnitus. Method: Twenty patients who underwent cochlear implantation since 1987 were studied. Preimplantation tinnitus was documented and quantified. The change in tinnitus after implantation was investigated. Result: Before cochlear implantation, 90% of the patients experienced tinnitus. Electrical stimulation of the promontory resulted in relief of tinnitus in 72% of the patients. After cochlear implantation, tinnitus was abolished in 44% and decreased in 39%, for an overall improvement in 83%. Conclusion: Cochlear implantation has the added benefit of tinnitus suppression in the majority of patients. The mechanism of this suppression remains uncertain. However, this information may be valuable in structuring subsequent treatment programs for patients with tinnitus.