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Pain-only complaint about cochlear implant device: A five-patient pediatric experience
Cochlear Implants International
|January 8, 2015
Summary
Pain at the cochlear implant (CI) receiver-stimulator site can be the only sign of device failure. Revision surgery resolved pain in most pediatric cases, highlighting the need for a CI pain registry.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pediatric Audiology
Background:
- Pediatric cochlear implant (CI) surgeries are common, yet complications like receiver-stimulator site pain are infrequently reported.
- This case series examines five pediatric patients experiencing isolated pain at the CI receiver-stimulator site.
Observation:
- Pain onset varied from 2 to 16 years post-implantation and was unresponsive to medical therapy.
- Pain persisted even when the external device was off or not worn.
- Four patients had bilateral implants, but pain localized to only one receiver-stimulator.
Findings:
- Revision surgery successfully resolved pain in four out of five pediatric CI patients.
- Two explanted devices showed hermeticity loss and insulation failure.
- Post-revision, three of four patients experienced good outcomes with their replacement CI.
Implications:
- Isolated pain can be the sole indicator of cochlear implant device failure in pediatric patients.
- A standardized flowchart for managing CI-related pain and a global registry are recommended.
- Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of CI-induced pain.
