OBJECTIVES: A surgically implanted medical device that by passes the damaged part of the inner ear to electrically stimulate the remaining neural fibers of the auditory nerve. Electrical current stimulates the remaining auditory nerve fibers in the damaged inner ear to generate sensations of hearing. The objectives of this study were to analyze cochlear implantation evidence to conduct a systematic review to determine the clinical efficacy of Cochlear implantation in patients requiring implantation with outcomes of improved hearing and quality of life.

METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed at various electronic databases using PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane. A PRISMA method is used to curate and collocate the studies. Quantitative data were pooled into statistical meta-analyses using the Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan) to compare clinical efficacy with and without Cochlear Implants.

RESULTS: A total of 3234 articles were obtained and after evaluation, 14 articles were accepted that answered the research questions and met the criteria for systematic review and meta-analysis. Therefore, the outcomes of metanalysis are improved hearing with subgroups speech hearing, spatial hearing and hearing quality at 95% CI with the overall treatment effect (mean difference= -2.65) and other outcome quality of life with subgroups physical wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, self-esteem, family, friends and school at 95% CI with overall treatment effect (mean difference = -5.04) and thus showing a statistically significant effect favoring with cochlear implants.

CONCLUSIONS: In this review we found that cochlear implants played an important role in patients’ improved hearing and quality of life. Therefore, this review hypothesizes that children with hearing loss or deafness patients receives treatment with or without cochlear implants may improve hearing and quality of life. This adds to the confidence that cochlear implants will become more prevalent in the next few years.