Adults who are eligible for cochlear implants should receive the device as soon as possible to maximise post-implantation speech recognition, according to world-first guidance.

But age alone should not limit a patient’s candidacy for implantation, as studies have demonstrated improved quality of life — with one showing improved cognition — in older adults receiving an implant, the document says.

An international panel of clinicians and researchers, including Melbourne otolaryngologist Professor Robert Briggs, has developed the first global consensus paper on the use of cochlear implants in adults with severe, profound or moderate sloping-to-profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Writing in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the group lists 20 evidence-based consensus statements informed by a systematic review and their own clinical expertise.