Parametric Modeling of Cochlear Electrode Arrays Using Design of Experiments and Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

No immediate practice change; this is early-stage engineering research that may inform future cochlear implant electrode design but has no direct clinical protocol implication today.

Cochlear Size and Shape Variation from the Russian Population and a New Cochlear Parameter for a Safe Cochlear Implant Electrode Insertion

Surgeons and implant teams should note the proposed cochlear parameter as a potential pre-surgical planning aid, but prospective clinical validation is needed before routine adoption.

Early Loading of a Percutaneous Bone-Anchored Hearing Implant System Following Single-Stage Surgery in Children: A Prospective 2-Year Study

Early sound processor loading after single-stage percutaneous bone-anchored hearing implant surgery appears safe and stable in children over 2 years; clinicians working with pediatric BAHI candidates may consider this approach as supportive evidence accumulates, though sample...

Remote programming of cochlear implants: a mixed-methods study of audiologist experiences and patient satisfaction

Audiologists offering cochlear implant programming should monitor this evidence; if patient satisfaction is comparable between remote and in-person sessions, expanding remote programming may be clinically justified and improve access.

Round Window Drill-Out in Advanced Otosclerosis

Round window drill-out may be a viable surgical option when the round window is obliterated in advanced otosclerosis, but with only 5 ears reported this is too preliminary to change surgical practice; surgeons should treat these findings as hypothesis-generating only.

The role of perceived competence in remote cochlear implant aftercare: a mixed-methods study

Clinicians offering remote cochlear implant aftercare should assess and actively support patients' sense of competence with digital tools, as low perceived competence may reduce uptake of remote services.

Social development in Chinese hearing-impaired children with binaural-bimodal fitting (BIM) versus unilateral cochlear implant: A comparative study

Binaural-bimodal fitting (hearing aid + cochlear implant) may confer social development advantages over unilateral cochlear implant alone in children; however, this is a single comparative study and results should be interpreted cautiously pending replication in larger,...

The Unique Voice Profile of Children With Auditory Brainstem Implants: A Novel Study on Voice Onset Time

Clinicians working with pediatric ABI users should be aware that voice onset time and temporal speech production differ from cochlear implant and normal-hearing norms; speech-language therapy targets and timelines may need to be adjusted accordingly.

Cochlear Implantation and Hearing Rehabilitation in CHARGE Syndrome: Expanding Clinical Knowledge and Outcomes

Cochlear implantation is a viable option in CHARGE syndrome, but surgical complexity and variable outcomes mean individualized planning is essential; this retrospective data can inform pre-operative counseling.

Severe surgical site infections following cochlear implant surgery

Clinicians performing or managing cochlear implant patients should review identified risk factors and management strategies from this study to inform surgical protocols and post-operative monitoring for severe surgical site infections.

Five Cochlear Implant Pioneers Honored with Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology

Recognition of cochlear implant pioneers highlights the field's foundational achievements and may raise public and professional awareness of the technology's scientific legacy.

Cochlear implant pioneers awarded Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology

The Merkin Prize recognition highlights the extraordinary scientific legacy behind cochlear implants, reinforcing the field's credibility and drawing broader public and institutional attention to hearing rehabilitation technology.

Cochlear implant as an option for unilateral deafness rehabilitation

Perceptual organization of Mandarin consonants in cochlear implant users

Findings on Mandarin consonant perception in CI users may guide audiologists working with Mandarin-speaking implant recipients to target specific consonant confusions in auditory rehabilitation, pending review of the full results.

Complications of Cochlear Implant Surgery in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

No direct change to practice in high-income settings, but the findings are essential for global health advocates and surgeons working in or supporting cochlear implant programs in low- and middle-income countries.

Five Cochlear Implant Pioneers Awarded 2026 Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology

The award highlights the cumulative, multi-decade research effort behind cochlear implants and reinforces the technology's status as one of the most clinically successful neural prosthetics in history.

Social Determinants of Health and Impact on Cochlear Implant Performance

Audiologists and CI teams should screen for social determinants of health pre-operatively, as socioeconomic and environmental factors appear to independently influence post-implant speech perception outcomes — though causality and which factors matter most require prospective...

Perception and Production Errors in Normal Hearing Children, Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users, and Children Listening to Vocoder Simulations

Findings can inform speech-language therapy goals for pediatric cochlear implant users by identifying which consonant perception and production error patterns are device-driven versus developmentally typical.

Assessing Hearing-Related Quality of Life in Adults With Hearing Loss: Validation of the German Cochlear Implant Quality of Life (CIQOL)-35 Profile

German-speaking clinics that fit cochlear implants can now consider using the validated German CIQOL-35 Profile as a standardised patient-reported outcome measure, replacing or supplementing ad-hoc quality-of-life assessments.

A Prospective Multicenter Post-Market Study Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of Cochlear Implantation in Adults With Single-Sided Deafness

Cochlear implantation for single-sided deafness in adults appears safe and effective based on prospective multicenter post-market data; clinicians managing SSD patients should consider this evidence when counselling candidates for CI versus conventional alternatives such as CROS...

The impact of CSF gusher on preservation of low frequency residual hearing following cochlear implantation

Monitor residual low-frequency hearing outcomes carefully in cochlear implant patients who experience an intraoperative CSF gusher, though clinical management protocols should await stronger prospective evidence.

“Low Frequencies Are Underappreciated” — Restoring the Missing Half of CI Hearing

The role of low-frequency hearing preservation in cochlear implant candidates is a legitimate and evolving clinical discussion, but this framing originates from a device manufacturer with a direct commercial interest.

Effects of Talker Sex Differences on Binaural Summation in Cochlear Implant Users and Normal Hearing Listeners

Findings on talker sex differences in binaural summation for CI users may inform bilateral implant counselling and programming strategies, but replication in larger samples is needed before changing clinical protocols.

Development of an Orff music-based intervention program based on the PERMA model for children with cochlear implants: a Delphi study

Integrating structured music-based rehabilitation with well-being frameworks like PERMA may offer a novel adjunct to conventional auditory training for pediatric cochlear implant users, but empirical outcome data are still needed.

Electroactive nanostructured polypyrrole coatings with on-demand drug release for immunomodulation of neural electrode interfaces

Reducing immune-driven inflammation at neural electrode interfaces is a fundamental challenge for cochlear implants and other auditory neuroprosthetics; advances in electrode coatings could eventually improve long-term implant performance.

Robotic-Assisted Electrode Insertion for Pediatric Cochlear Implantation: A Multicenter Study

Robotic-assisted electrode insertion appears safe and feasible in pediatric cochlear implantation across multiple centers, but the small sample (n=14) and absence of long-term audiological outcome data mean it is too early to recommend over standard manual insertion.

Baseline Function Predicts Gains in Both Speech Recognition and Quality of Life After Cochlear Implantation

Pre-implant baseline speech recognition and quality-of-life scores should be routinely documented, as they are significant predictors of post-implantation outcomes and can guide patient counselling and candidacy decisions.

A modified hook-assisted transmuscular technique to optimise cochlear implant coupling in patients with thick scalp flaps

Surgeons performing cochlear implantation in patients with thick scalp flaps (>8 mm) may consider this hook-assisted transmuscular technique as a practical option to optimise magnet coupling and signal transmission, pending broader replication.