Unilateral musical hallucination after a hybrid cochlear implantation

Abstract

Objective: To provide a description of musical hallucination associated with hybrid cochlear implantation.

Method: Case report.

Results: We report a case of musical hallucination secondary to hybrid cochlear implantation. Activation of electrical stimulation was closely related to onset of musical hallucination and deactivation was associated with attenuation of hallucination. Persistent musical hallucination severely impaired speech discrimination in spite of 2 years of listening rehabilitation.

Conclusions: The hybrid cochlear implant is a relatively new surgical method, and its side effects have not been well documented. This is the first report of musical hallucination after a hybrid cochlear implantation. Also we provide evidence of the peripheral origin of musical hallucination by reporting lateralization and intensity change of hallucination by activation status of cochlear implant.

Keywords: Cochlear implantation; Electric–Acoustic stimulation; Hybrid cochlear implantation; Musical hallucination; Peripheral origin.