Twenty years of experience in revision cochlear implant surgery: signs that indicate the need for revision surgery to audiologists.

Batuk, MO; Cinar, BC; Yarali, M; Bajin, MD; Sennaroglu, G; Sennaroglu, L

Objective: To report device failures, audiological signs and other reasons for revision cochlear implant surgery, and discuss indications for revision surgery. Methods: Revision procedures between November 1997 and August 2017 were retrospectively analysed. Over 20 years, 2181 cochlear implant operations were performed, and 114 patients underwent 127 revision operations. Results: The revision rate was 4.67 per cent. The full insertion rate for revision cochlear implant surgery was 88.2 per cent. The most frequent reasons for revision surgery were: device failure (59 per cent), wound breakdown (9.4 per cent) and electrode malposition (8.7 per cent). The device failure rate was: 2.78 per cent for Advanced Bionics, 1.82 per cent for Cochlear and 5.25 per cent for Med-El systems. The number of active electrodes was significantly increased only for Med-El devices after revision surgery. The most common complaints among 61 patients were: gradually decreased auditory performance, sudden internal device shutdown and headaches. Conclusion: The most common reason for revision surgery was device failure. Patients should be evaluated for device failure in cases of: no hearing despite appropriate follow up, side effects such as facial nerve stimulation, and rejection of speech processor use in paediatrics. After revision surgery, most patients have successful outcomes.

HEADACHE diagnosis; HEARING disorder diagnosis; BIONICS; COCHLEAR implants; HEARING levels; COMPLICATIONS of prosthesis; REOPERATION; RISK assessment; TREATMENT effectiveness; RETROSPECTIVE studies

Journal of Laryngology & Otology, 2019, Vol 133, Issue 10, p903

0022-2151

Academic Journal

10.1017/S0022215119001919