Children with sensorineural hearing loss have risk of surgically induced vestibular dysfunction post cochlear implantation due to instrumentation. It is clinically important to estimate the risk of vestibular loss post cochlear implant so the patient can be made fully aware of these risks when considering cochlear implantation. The aim of the study was to identify compensated vestibular dysfunction post cochlear implantation. Vestibular function was evaluated both pre and post CI using monothermal warm air caloric testing. Recordings were made using head band camera on SYNAPSYS Ulmer VNG software. 'Monothermal caloric asymmetry' (MCA) was depicted as 'unilateral weakness' based on the slow phase velocity of nystagmus. MCA of >15% was taken as evidence of canal paresis. The incidence of compensated vestibular dysfunction post CI surgery was found to be 16.66%. The results were statistically significant ( value 0.02) and indicated worsening of canal paresis indicative of vestibular dysfunction. Children for cochlear implantation should undergo evaluation of their vestibular system pre and post surgery. Caution should be exercised before planning bilateral cochlear implantation in the same sitting.

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TVFMI® may be preferred for medialization thyroplasty as it presents better voice results and demands less surgical time; however, it is costlier than silastic implant.

Bilateral stimulation of the auditory system has clear advantages over unilateral hearing. Hearing-impaired children are, therefore, generally fitted with hearing aids in both ears so that they can have the benefits of binaural hearing. Children who use acochlear implant in one ear and no acoustic stimulation in the opposite ear are at a definite disadvantage. This study was undertaken to determine the advantages of bimodal stimulation in pediatric population especially in terms of speech recognition. This study comprised of 30 children between 3 and 6 years of age with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss with cochlear implant in one ear and fitted with digital hearing aid in non-implanted ear. Speech recognition performance was compared in unilateral cochlear implant only and with bimodal hearing stimulation in the same set of children. A statistically significant difference was found between speech reception scores in children with a unilateral cochlear implant only and those with a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the non implanted ear in quiet surroundings. It is suggested that the use of bimodal fitting be considered as an effective management method to obtain the advantage of binaural hearing in children who undergo unilateral cochlear implantation.