I’m not sure does it is new reseach, which suggest that “deaf gap” have less importance than was though, but I don’t want to push opinion forcibly.
I have had left ear deaf for 20 years before I had implantation when I was 24yo. Indeed, at the beginning and wearing sound processor for 3 years I didn’t get much improvement. So then I put processor to the drawer for about 6 years.
When I used this forum, I received advice in April 2023 from @Raudrive to better isolate the ear during rehabilitation as much as possible. So I streamed more to the sound processor only.
Results - 80% WRS (CI side only) after 9 months.
I know this is a “case report” and does not definitively prove my point compared to randomized multicenter trials, but…
There is a promontory test, which also could help to make decisions about CI efficiency postoperatively as one of the variables to be considered.
Depending on the cause of deafness, after 50 years, the cochlea may be completely ossified, which makes implantation impossible.
However, I can’t be strict in suggesting that, because this is checked by high-resolution computed tomography of the head.