An observational study in Severe to Profound Hearing Loss, sponsored by MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte GesmbH. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Switzerland. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-09.
Sponsored by MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte GesmbH · Observational
This study is a single center, non-interventional, retrospective, post-market observational study. Data will be extracted retrospectively from the local clinical database of the site and will be fully anonymized. The data extraction is performed as a one-time process. Following the analysis of the extracted dataset, the study is considered complete.
The study does not foresee any active participation of patients or seeking for consent.
This retrospective anonymized database analysis is performed on all MED-EL cochlear implants registered in the local database of the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Audiology, Inselspital, University of Bern.
The aim of this project is to generate evidence on the clinical effectiveness of cochlear implants based on long term real-world data gathered from clinical routine across a large and diverse population.
Assessed performance outcome measures include word test in quiet results, speech perception in noise results, and patient related outcome measures/questionnaires, as available. Safety assessment is based on data related to revision surgeries, explantations, reimplantations, and any other recorded device related complications. Imaging data (X-ray, CT, MRI) are not used in this study.
This study is a single center, non-interventional, retrospective, post-market observational study. Data will be extracted retrospectively from the local clinical database of the site and will be fully anonymized. The data extraction is performed as a one-time process. Following the analysis of the extracted dataset, the study is considered complete.
The study does not foresee any active participation of patients or seeking for consent.
This retrospective anonymized database analysis is performed on all MED-EL cochlear implants registered in the local database of the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Audiology, Inselspital, University of Bern.
The aim of this project is to generate evidence on the clinical effectiveness of cochlear implants based on long term real-world data gathered from clinical routine across a large and diverse population.
Assessed performance outcome measures include word test in quiet results, speech perception in noise results, and patient related outcome measures/questionnaires, as available. Safety assessment is based on data related to revision surgeries, explantations, reimplantations, and any other recorded device related complications. Imaging data (X-ray, CT, MRI) are not used in this study.
796 studies on the registry are indexed under Hearing Loss; 193 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 700 is above the median of 100 across 192 observational studies indexed under Hearing Loss.
Browse Hearing Loss studies →MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte GesmbH is the lead sponsor of 35 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.
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The study population includes all patients registered in the sites local database who were implanted with an approved MED-EL cochlear implant at the investigational site since 01st January 1996. To be included for analysis data from the pre-operative assessment and from at least one post-operative assessment must be available.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The cohort includes all patients registered in the sites local database who were implanted with an approved MED-EL cochlear implant at the investigational site since 01st January 1996. To be included for analysis data from the pre-operative assessment and from at least one post-operative assessment must be available.
Device: Cochlear implantation
The cochlear implant (CI) is one of the most successful neural prostheses developed to date. It offers artificial hearing to individuals with profound sensorineural hearing loss and with insufficient benefit from conventional hearing aids. The first implants provided a limited sensation of sound. The benefit for users of these early systems was mostly a facilitation of lip-reading based communication rather than an understanding of speech. Considerable progress has been made since then. Today, cochlear implantation is the recommended treatment for subjects presenting with a permanent sensorineural hearing loss. Modern, multichannel implant systems feature complex speech processing strategies, high stimulation rates and multiple sites of stimulation in the cochlea. Equipped with such a state-of-the-art system, the majority of recipients today can communicate orally without visual cues and can even use the telephone.
Also known as: CI, Hearing implant
Word Recognition Score in % correct over time
The primary objective of this retrospective observational study is to evaluate speech performance in quiet over time of MED-EL cochlear implant users, measured as the percentage of words recognized correctly.
Time frame: Outcome measures will be assessed based on availablity of the respective data from pre-operative assessment through the following post-implantation follow-up periods: 6 weeks, 6 months, 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-years and last available follow-up.
Speech Recognition Threshold in noise (SRT 50) measured in dB SNR over time
SRT in noise is defined as the level difference in decibels (dB SNR) between speech signal and noise at which 50% (SRT50) of the words presented can be correctly identified. SNR is a measure of the relative levels of a desired signal (such as speech) compared to background noise. It is expressed in decibels (dB SNR) and indicates how much louder the signal is than the noise.
Time frame: Outcome measures will be assessed based on availablity of the respective data from pre-operative assessment through the following post-implantation follow-up periods: 6 weeks, 6 months, 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-years and last available follow-up.
Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) 12
The Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ12) questionnaire is a 12 item sensitive and specific measure to assess the impact of hearing loss on speech perception, sound localization, and QoL. The SSQ12 minimum score is 0, the maximum score is 120. The higher the score obtained, the lower the difficulty experienced by the patient.
Time frame: Outcome measures will be assessed based on availablity of the respective data from pre-operative assessment through the following post-implantation follow-up periods: 6 weeks, 6 months, 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-years and last available follow-up.
Plan to share: No
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This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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