This current PhD project involves a clinical drug trial investigating if adults receiving a steroid during cochlear implant surgery have better preserved residual hearing and balance function following surgery. Hearing and vestibular functions are measured both before and three months after cochlear implant surgery, and subjective measures of balance obtained using two questionnaires (dizziness handicap inventory and activities balance confidence scale). The project aims to recruit 80 adult recipients and is expected to complete in early 2010.