[Experience of revision cochlear implantation]

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurosurgery
• Medical Engineering

Background:

• Revision cochlear implantation (RCI) addresses complications and failures in primary cochlear implant surgeries.
• Understanding RCI patient characteristics and failure etiologies is vital for optimizing outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the characteristics of patients undergoing revision cochlear implantation (RCI).
• To identify the primary causes of cochlear implant malfunction leading to RCI.
• To evaluate the preferred operative approaches for RCI.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 39 patients who underwent RCI.
• Data collected included patient age, cochlear use time, cause of failure, and reoperation procedure.
• Surgical approach was determined based on the initial implantation procedure.

Main Results:

• The study included 39 patients (ages 1-28, average 7.8 years) with an average cochlear use time of 2.2 years.
• Leading causes for RCI were device failure (28 cases) and infection (5 cases).
• The facial nerve recess approach was most common (35 cases), often utilizing the previous surgical site.

Conclusions:

• Revision cochlear implantation (RCI) is necessitated by diverse factors, primarily device failure and trauma.
• Timely RCI is recommended to prevent cochlear ossification and preserve auditory/speech development.
• Performing RCI through the original surgical approach is generally preferred.