Introduction:
The success that can be achieved with a cochlear implant depends on many factors.
Unfortunately, there are currently only a few parameters that allow an assessment
of speech understanding with an implant. The aim of the study is to show a possible
correlation between the proteome of the perilymph and speech understanding with the
cochlear implant.
Methods:
Patients receiving a cochlear implant with defined otologic disease were included
in this study. Before the insertion of the electrodes, the recovery of perilymph for
the determination of proteins is done by mass spectrometry. These laboratory results
are correlated with the patients' language test results 1 year.
Before the insertion of the electrodes, the recovery of perilymph for the determination
of proteins is done by mass spectrometry.
Results:
It can be stated that the production of perilymph is sufficient for a reliable laboratory
analysis. The first results show that the specific protein composition of the perilymph
is representable. Whether these can be clearly assigned to a defined basic otological
disease or to the outcome will be shown in further analyzes.
Conclusions:
We assume that bioinformatic analysis of a high number of samples will allow the validation
of certain proteome profiles of the perilymph as a conceivable predictive factor in
cochlear implantation. Whether we can prove this definitively in this small group
of patients is rather questionable. Of particular importance is this laboratory-chemical
based and therefore objective prediction, especially in the large group of patients
who are rest hearing.
