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Published on: February 29, 2020
Infected cochlear implant after large-volume nasal irrigation
Rachel B Cain1, Devyani Lal, David M Barrs
1Department of Otolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
Objective:
A patient with a well-healed, functional cochlear implant (CI) experienced a CI and mastoid infection shortly after initiating large-volume nasal irrigations after sinus surgery. The goal of this report is to bring attention to a rare complication and to question if large-volume nasal irrigation is safe in CI recipients.
Patients:
Single patient at a tertiary care hospital.
Interventions:
A CI recipient began using large-volume nasal irrigations with saline and budesonide after undergoing sinus surgery.
Main Outcome Measures:
CI infection and mastoiditis.
Results:
Two weeks after starting nasal irrigations, the patient presented with mastoiditis and CI infection. Mastoid and intranasal middle meatal cultures both grew Group A streptococcus.
Conclusion:
Large-volume nasal irrigations may be related to our patient's CI infection, ultimately leading to explantation. Though a causal relationship cannot be definitively proven, awareness of this potential safety issue should be disseminated.
