Tinnitus suppression in cochlear implant patients.

Tinnitus is sometimes suppressed by cochlear implantation. Tinnitus conditions were examined in 60 adult patients who underwent cochlear implantation in 1990 or later. Before surgery, 90% of these patients reported some type of tinnitus. The patients completed a questionnaire evaluating the loudness and duration of the tinnitus, immediately after the first electrical stimulation and 2 months later. The loudness of tinnitus was suppressed in 65% of the patients at first evaluation. Two months later, the tinnitus was suppressed in 93% of the patients. As for the duration of tinnitus, at first evaluation the tinnitus duration was suppressed in 41% of the patients. Two months later, the duration of tinnitus was suppressed in 61% of the patients.