STUDY OF MAIS (MEANINGFUL AUDITORY INTEGRATION SCALE) SCORE POST UNILATERAL COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION IN PRELINGUAL DEAF PATIENTS

Objective: To evaluate speech perception skills in everyday situations following Unilateral Cochlear Implantation in prelingual deaf patients in relation to the age of implantation. Method: 45 prelingual deaf patients who underwent unilateral Cochlear Implantation under B.J. Medical College Cochlear and Hearing Implant Programme from April 2007 to August 2010 were included in the study. Participants were divided into 5 groups on basis of age at which participants underwent implantation: ?3 years, 3 to 6 years, 6 to 9 years, 9 to 12 years, 12 to 15 years. The MAIS Questionnaire was administered before implantation unaided and at three post-implant switch-on time periods 6 months, 1 year and 2 years with Cochlear Implant alone. The study was retrospective and prospective comparative interventional type. Significance of difference between individual preoperative and postoperative scores was evaluated using the post hoc test of repeated measure analysis. Results: Pre-op average MAIS Questionnaire score was ?8/40 in all implanted age groups with score increasing over time to attain average score ranging from 34 to 37.44/40 in all implanted age groups after two years of implantation. The score increased significantly (p<0.05) in all implanted age groups from pre- to post-CI. Improved ratings were found for those implanted at younger age (?3 years) than those implanted later. Discussion: There is significant improvement in speech perception skills in everyday situations after cochlear implantation which continues to improve over time. Better results were seen in those implanted at younger age.