Auditory Brainstem Implants in Children with Inner Ear Anomalies: An Indian Perspective

Auditory brainstem implantation (ABI) is a viable option for individuals with inner ear anomalies, or other retro-cochlear pathologies, where cochlear implantation is not a suitable option. Although ABI has its advantages in those populations, most often, ABI is not recommended or accepted by the patients because of its limitations and shortcoming such as open-set word recognition in auditory mode, limited infrastructures for carrying out ABI surgery, and the high cost of implantation. This review highlights the benefits in non-tumor patients with ABI surgery and possible reasons for the limited acceptance of the ABI device from an Indian perspective.