Current Estimates of Cochlear Implant Utilization in the United States

Summary

An analysis of private market research estimates markedly different US implant uptake depending on which audiometric candidacy definition is used.

Key findings

• The publisher abstract reports cumulative US implantation in 170,252 people, involving 240,056 devices, as of 2015.
• Utilization was approximately 12.7% among people meeting traditional audiometric criteria: severe-to-profound sensorineural loss in the better ear.
• Utilization was approximately 2.1% under expanded criteria including single-sided deafness or asymmetrical loss, with severe-to-profound loss in the worse ear.
• The authors state that the total population of untreated audiometric candidates continued to rise despite growth in the annual proportion receiving implants.

Limits

Only the publisher abstract was accessible and archived; the full article, funding statement, underlying market report and research sample size could not be assessed. The population estimates concern 2015 and audiometric eligibility, not present-day clinical candidacy or venue attendance. Implant devices and implant recipients have different counts.

Read the original

journals.lww.com/10.1097/MAO.0000000000003513

Link checked 13 October 2026. We link to the original and do not host copies.

Cited in

• How many people in an audience are likely to need assistive listening?Partly answered

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