Displacement of the magnet of a cochlear implant receiver stimulator package following minor head trauma

Cochlear implantation is an established and effective means of rehabilitation in selected severely and profoundly hearing-impaired children and adults. The incidence of complications is low. However, inadvertent trauma remains an important consideration in young children, perhaps more so in children with multiple handicaps. We report four cases of displacement of the magnet of a cochlear implant receiver stimulator package following minor head trauma, and describe a safe surgical technique for rectifying the situation.