A meta-analytic comparison of binaural benefits between bilateral cochlear implants and bimodal stimulation.

A meta-analytic approach was used to examine sixteen peer-reviewed publications related to speech-recognition performance in noise at fixed signal-to-noise ratios for participants who use bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) or bimodal stimulation. Two hundred eighty-seven analyses were conducted to compare the underlying contributions of binaural summation, binaural squelch, and the head-shadow effect compared to monaural conditions (CI or hearing aid). The analyses revealed an overall significant effect for binaural summation, binaural squelch, and head shadow for the bilateral and bimodal listeners relative to monaural conditions. In addition, all within-condition (bilateral or bimodal) comparisons were significant for the three binaural effects, with the exception of the bimodal condition compared to a monaural CI. No significant differences were detected between the bilateral and bimodal listeners for any of the binaural phenomena. Clinical implications and recommendations are discussed as they relate to empirical findings.