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Clinical Trials/NCT01904448
NCT01904448CompletedNot Applicable

An Early Feasibility Study of the Safety and Efficacy of the Nucleus 24 Auditory Brainstem Implant in Children With Cochlear or Cochlear Nerve Disorders Not Resulting From Neurofibromatosis Type II

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill2 sites in 1 country5 target enrollmentStarted: September 2012Last updated:
Conditions
Interventions

Trial Snapshot

Phase
Not Applicable
Status
Completed
Enrollment
5
Locations
2
Primary Endpoint
Number of ABI Complications

Study Overview

Brief Summary

To purpose of this feasibility study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the Nucleus 24 Multichannel Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI, Cochlear Corp, Sydney, AUS) in children without the diagnosis of neurofibromatosis type II (NFII) that have either experienced failed cochlear implantation (CI) or have been unable to receive a CI secondary to cochlear or cochlear nerve disorders. These conditions can include: developmental or acquired cochlear nerve deficiency (CND), cochlear aplasia (Michel), post-meningitic cochlear ossification or cochlear malformation.

This study proposes to implant up to 10 young children (<5 yrs. of age) with the Nucleus 24 Multichannel ABI (Sydney, AUS) in an attempt to demonstrate safety of the surgical procedure, tolerance of device stimulation, and the potential for auditory benefit beyond that experienced with their CI. This study will provide the preliminary experience for a larger scale clinical trial.

Aim 1: Demonstrate the safety of ABI surgery in children. Aim 2: Demonstrate the development of sound awareness and improved speech understanding among children implanted with the ABI when compared to their baseline skills. Aim 3: Demonstrate the development of oral language skills following the use of the ABI that were not evident prior to its use.

Study Design

Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Na
Intervention Model
Single Group
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None

Eligibility Criteria

Ages
18 Months to 17 Years (Child)
Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Pre-linguistic hearing loss (birth-5 yrs.; age at ABI 18 months-5yrs) with both:
  • MRI +/- CT evidence of one of the following: Cochlear nerve deficiency, Cochlear aplasia or severe hypoplasia, Severe inner ear malformation, Post-meningitis ossification
  • When a cochlea is present or patent, lack of significant benefit from CI despite consistent use (>6 mo.)
  • Post-linguistic hearing loss (<18 yrs. of age) with both:
  • Loss or lack of benefit from appropriate CI without the possibility for revision or contralateral implantation. Examples might include: Post-meningitis ossification, Bilateral temporal bone fractures with cochlear nerve avulsion, Failed revision CI without benefit
  • Previously developed open set speech perception and auditory-oral language skills
  • No medical contraindications
  • Willing to receive the appropriate meningitis vaccinations
  • No or limited cognitive/developmental delays which would be expected to interfere with the child's ability to cooperate in testing and/or programming of the device, in developing speech and oral language, or which would make an implant and subsequent emphasis on aural/oral communication not in the child's best interest
  • Strong family support including language proficiency of the parent(s) in the child's primary mode of communication as well as written and spoken English.
  • Reasonable expectations from parents including a thorough understanding:
  • of potential benefits and limitations of ABI
  • of parental role in rehabilitation
  • that the child may not develop spoken language as a primary communication mode or even sufficient spoken language to make significant academic progress in an aural/oral environment
  • Involvement in an educational program that emphasizes development of auditory skills with or without the use of supplementary visual communication.
  • Able to comply with study requirements including travel to investigation sites.
  • Informed consent for the procedure from the child's parents/legal guardian.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Pre- or post-linguistic child currently making significant progress with CI
  • MRI evidence of one of the following:
  • normal cochlea and cochlear nerves or NFII
  • brainstem or cortical anomaly that makes implantation unfeasible
  • Clear surgical reason for poor CI performance that can be remediated with revision CI or contralateral surgery rather than ABI.
  • Intractable seizures or progressive, deteriorating neurological disorder
  • Unable to participate in behavioral testing and mapping with their CI. If this appears to be an age effect, ABI will be delayed until we can be assured that the child will be able to participate, as reliable objective measures of mapping are currently not available for mapping these devices.
  • Lack of potential for spoken language development. This will be considered the case when evidence of the following exist:
  • Severe psychomotor retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, or developmental delays beyond speech that would preclude usage of the device and oral educational development. Autism is a special case where there is the potential for delayed presentation. When early signs are considered present, our group routinely requests a comprehensive developmental assessment for further evaluation prior to considering routine evaluation. A specialized group is readily available at our institution for such an evaluation.
  • Unable to tolerate general anesthesia (cardiac, pulmonary, bleeding diathesis, etc.).
  • Need for brainstem irradiation
  • Unrealistic expectations on the part of the subject/family regarding the possible benefits, risks and limitations that are inherent to the procedure and prosthetic device.
  • Unwilling to sign the informed consent.
  • Unwilling to make necessary follow-up appointments.

Arms & Interventions

Auditory Brainstem Implant

Experimental

single-arm study of auditory brainstem implantation in children

Intervention: Auditory Brainstem Implantation in Children (Device)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Number of ABI Complications

Time Frame: Year 3

Complications and related outcomes will be tracked and recorded. These include bleeding, infection, neural injury, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, brain bleeding or bruising, stroke, death. Also, complications and sequelae related to the device such as non-auditory stimulation and device failure will be tracked.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Place Cues(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • The Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) Oral Expression Score(Year 3)
  • MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) Score(Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Vowels(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Change in Speech Perception Test Battery Scores-Detection Audiogram(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • The Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) Listening Comprehension Score(Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Manner Cues(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Voice Cues(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Syllables(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation Scores (GFTA)(Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Vocalize on Demand(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Initial Consonants(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Percentage of Correctly Produced Items From the Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children With Hearing Loss (IEPN) Test-Final Consonants(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Speech Perception Test Battery Scores-IT-MAIS or MAIS(Pre-ABI, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Change in Speech Perception Test Battery Scores-Ling Sound Test(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Change in Speech Perception Test Battery Scores-ESP Low Verbal(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Change in Speech Perception Test Battery Scores-ESP Standard(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
  • Pre-School Language Scale (PLS-5) Scores(Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)

Investigators

Sponsor Class
Other
Responsible Party
Sponsor

Study Sites (2)

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