UNC Cochlear Implant Research

11/18/2025

: Drs. Richter, Scharf, and Dillon shared the process of modifying a clinical loudness scale for cochlear implant recipients with low vision in the November/December issue of the ASHA Leader. 🦻🏾

📄 Check out the full article here: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.AEA.30112025.aud-cochlear-implant-loudness-scale-ci-mapping.16/full/

11/17/2025

: Drs. Brown, Overton, and Park shared data at the 15th Asia Pacific Symposium on Cochlear Implants and Related Sciences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 🐏👂🏽

🦻🏿Dr. Brown discussed cochlear microanatomy and hearing preservation outcomes.
🦻🏻Dr. Overton shared clinical expertise with the MED-EL Remote Care and SONNET 3 technology.
🦻🏾Dr. Park presented outcomes and considerations for pediatric CI users with single-sided deafness.

11/17/2025

Dr. Brown successfully implanted the first MED-EL Flex34 electrode array at the UNC Cochlear Implant Program🎉! A milestone that underscores the UNC Ear & Hearing team’s commitment to providing individualized treatment for children and adults with hearing loss. The team carefully selects the internal device that best matches each patient’s cochlear anatomy and hearing configuration to ensure optimal outcomes.

11/14/2025

: Molly Poole (UNC School of Medicine student) shared data on temporal bone thickness when measured using CT versus MRI during UNC SOM Student Research Day. 🐏🦻🏽

11/12/2025

: “Functional acoustic hearing” is the range of frequencies that can be acoustically amplified by an electric-acoustic stimulation device. Swipe to learn more about how we consider functional acoustic hearing during device programming. 🦻🏿

11/07/2025

Drs. Scharf and Dillon discussed new indications for cochlear implantation, and the postoperative assessment and the fitting of electric-acoustic stimulation devices for CI recipients with functional acoustic hearing in this article. 🐏🦻🏽🌀

Cochlear implants aren’t just for profound hearing loss anymore. This article in The Hearing Journal explores how patients with residual low-frequency hearing and poor speech understanding can benefit from electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS), a hybrid approach that preserves natural hearing while enhancing speech recognition. UNC Health The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cochlear Americas American Academy of Audiology

https://ow.ly/tqoF50XnSip

11/04/2025

Effective treatment for patients with hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma have evolved, improving quality of life.

11/04/2025

: Drs. Scharf and Dillon reviewed CI candidacy criteria, management, and fitting considerations for patients with functional low-frequency hearing in the latest issue of The Hearing Journal. 🦻🏻🦻🏾

📄Check out the full publication here:
https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/fulltext/2025/11000/cochlear_implant_recipients_and_functional_hearing.2.aspx

10/31/2025

Drs. Dillon and Tavora-Vieira were keynote speakers during the Single-Sided Deafness Symposium for Australia and New Zealand, where they discussed best practices for SSD management in adults and children. They also served as panelists alongside Dr. Birman, and CI recipient and author, Shelia Wherry. 🦻🏽

10/27/2025

: Several members of the UNC Ear and Hearing team attended the Hearing & Structure Preservation Workshop in Niagara Falls, Canada. 🐏

🦻🏿Dr. Brown participated in a panel on deep electrode insertion in EAS, and shared data on cochlear microanatomy and hearing preservation.
🦻🏽Dr. Dillon presented on the variables to consider when individualizing EAS.

10/24/2025

Day 5: We are closing research week by thanking the clinical patients and research participants who make our work possible. Thank you for your commitment to bettering the future of cochlear implant care!

10/23/2025

Check out this piece in the American Academy of Audiology’s “Audiology in the News” column— featuring new work by Dr. Park and colleagues!



The Children's Cochlear Implant Center at UNC
UNC ENT

There are two types of cochlear implants available on the market today. The traditional cochlear implant (CI) employs only electrical stimulation (ES) via an electrode array inserted into the cochlea,…