Outcome analysis of cochlear implant reimplantation in children

We review our experience gained in performing cochlear reimplantation in 25 children who have had multichannel cochlear implant device failure at the Cochlear Implant Center of the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital (New York, NY), to assess the feasibility of cochlear reimplantation in children and the effect of reinsertion on audiological performance.

We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 27 consecutive multichannel cochlear implant reinsertions performed in 25 children at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital. These reimplantations were performed between 1990 and 1999, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months for both surgical and audiological performance.

Charts were reviewed for patient factors, findings at the time of initial operation and repeat operation, and results of audiological testing both before and after reimplantation.

Surgical complications of reimplantation included two intraoperative cerebral spinal fluid leaks and two late postoperative flap breakdowns with implant extrusions. For the most part, depth of electrode insertion was unchanged. Open-set speech recognition scores and speech perception abilities remained stable or improved compared with results before reimplantation.

Our results confirm that cochlear implant reimplantation is technically feasible and allows for continued auditory development for the child who has a cochlear implant device failure.