Postoperative complications of cochlear implantation

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence of cochlear implant complications in 72 patients who underwent cochlear implantations in our department during the period from March 2001 to May 2010. We defined complications as symptoms which required any additional care and/or treatments after cochlear implantation. The complications were divided into two categories : minor complications and major complications. The minor complications were defined as the symptoms which resolved without any open surgeries. The major complications were defined as the symptoms which required treatment by open surgery. Nine of 72 patients (12.5%) experienced at least one complication. Four patients had minor complications and 5 patients had major complications. Minor complications consisted of taste disturbance in 2 patients, delayed facial palsy in 1 patient, and local swelling where the cochlear implant was implanted in 1 patient. Major complications consisted of mechanical failures of the cochlear implant in 2 patients, local infections in 2 patients, and exposure of the cochlear implant in 1 patient. The implant failures were caused by head injuries. The postoperative infections in the 2 patients were considered to be related to their underlying diseases. It was considered that the exposure of the cochlear implant was caused by contact between the receiver-stimulator and speech processor.