I am not an expert in this field, but am sure there is no single answer to this.   It will depend on age; presence of other disorders; projection of the case to say 20 years ahead when there will be improved technology;  risks of surgery;  success of simpler solutions, like hearing aids;  etc.

As soon as possible, as long as there is an indication for the second side.

Dear Dr. Gurkov,

Can you point me to the research that shows "an Ideal time to implant the second one?"

Thanks,

Dana

In a child, concurrent implant

In adults, wait and watch for balance problems from the first

Bruce Black

Dear Dr. Black,

I was recently at a Cochlear Implant workskop with adults and chlidren who were receipients....and I didn't hear anyone mention anything about having a balance problem, before -during-or after the CI. Can you point me to some research to help me understand your answer...(relative to adults)? I look at your publications that you have posted on Research Gate and nothing jumped out to me as...This is the one that will expalin Dr. Black's answer.

Thank you,

Dana Merritt MS, CCC, Speech Language Pathologist and Vision Therapist

With children, provided the surgeon's technique and the execution are atraumatic; concurrent ops are ok from about 6/12. See queenslandotology.com.au re the Keyhole tech used here, or

Black B. Keyhole Cochlear Implant Surgery: Current status. Otology and Neurotology 2011; 32(9): 1459-1463.

Black B.  Keyhole cochlear implantation surgery. Cochlear Implants International 2009; 10(3): 150-159.  

Re the adults: Not a lot of work on balance and CI, partly because balance testing is not well refined enough. Surgeons are wary of oscillopsia in bilateral cases, although most adults are ok, particularly the severely deafened in whom the vestibuar apparatus has been severely degraded