Gene therapy vs. cochlear implants: which restores hearing better?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients with congenital hearing loss with hearing thresholds ≥65 dB receive either gene therapy (previously received gene therapy and standardized postoperative rehabilitation and follow-up or plan to receive gene therapy), or cochlear implant surgery. Healthy participants with bilateral hearing thresholds within the normal range (≤20 dB), generally matched to the gene therapy group and the cochlear implant group by age and sex. Age ≥ 6 months, regardless of gender. Mandarin Chinese as the native language. Participants and their guardians must provide informed consent before the trial, voluntarily sign a written consent form, and commit to follow-up at specified time points. Capable of effective communication with researchers with the assistance of their guardians and willing to cooperate and comply with the researchers' requirements. The participant's guardians should have a correct understanding of the trial and appropriate expectations regarding potential benefits. Exclusion Criteria: Presence of other otological disorders that may interfere with the surgical outcome or interpretation of study endpoints, such as middle/inner ear dysplasia or malformations revealed by CT/MRI scans performed within the past 3 months that may affect the therapeutic effect, vestibular-cochlear nerve abnormalities, acute/chronic otitis media, Meniere's disease, etc. Presence of other severe congenital diseases. Presence of severe systemic diseases or diseases in the acute phase, such as pulmonary tuberculosis, active hepatitis B or C infection, active herpes zoster infection, pancreatitis, renal insufficiency, etc. Individuals with low immunity, a history of immune deficiency or organ transplantation. Individuals with a history of neurological or mental disorders, such as epilepsy or dementia. Patients with contraindications to surgery or anesthesia, as assessed by a surgeon, anesthetist, or designated personnel, such as cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events in the past 6 months, allergies to the planned medications, etc. Gene therapy group: gene therapy did not restore hearing; Cochlear implant group: presence of hereditary syndromic deafness or other conditions that seriously affect the efficacy evaluation. Any other conditions for which the investigators consider the subject unsuitable for participation in this clinical study.