gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Postoperative complications in cochlear implantation is still a matter of discussions. Utilisation of cochlear implants for hearing habilitaion/rehabilitation is a more than 2 decades history. Evidences accumulated confirming the reliability of this method. Among controversies, still some surgical aspects and the question of a foreign material implantation in the human body are concerns.

Methods: We use Med-El implants (Pulsar, n=2) and Nucleus 24M and K (m=40). The surgical technique is the Kronenberg’s suprameatal tunnel instead of mastoidectomy and posterior tympanotomy. The implanted population reported here is prelingual pediatric group implanted between 1.5–5 years old age.

Results: In our series of 42 implantees, the rate of major complications required revision surgery is 9.5%. Implant removal was necessary in one patient suffered from recurrent suppurative otitis media (2 years postimplantation, age 6 years). The No. 2. Patient developed a skin lesion (half a year postimplantation, age 3 years) beside the standard two layers wound closure surgical technique. The No. 3. Patient slowly provided with incapability of stimulation via an increasing number of electrodes (2 years postimplantation, age 5 years). The No. 4. Patient presented an extrusion of the electrode array (3 years postimplantation, age 6 years) towards the external ear canal.

Conclusions: Ten percent failure rate is high. Fifty percent is technical failure indicating removal of the implant. Technological improvement as well as standardization of implantation techniques may improve the outcome results.