The diagnostic value of computed tomography in delayed complications after cochlear implantation

Delayed complications after cochlear implant (CI) surgery can result in the need for revision surgery. Temporal bone computed tomography (tCT) is frequently used in the diagnostic work-up for these patients.

We aimed to test for the value of tCT in delayed complications after CI surgery.

Retrospective chart review including all patients with CI who were consecutively enrolled in our academic tertiary care centre and received a tCT due to delayed complications between January 2008 and December 2017.

A total of 85 patients with a mean age of 28 years at CI surgery were identified. Mean time between CI and tCT was 4.3 years. Reasons for performance of tCT were device malfunction (20%), cephalgia (20%), scalp hematoma/seroma (15.3%), device failure (11.8%), vertigo (10.6%), local infection (7.1%), trauma (5.9%), meningism (3.5%), tinnitus (3.5%) and facial palsy (2.4%). No abnormalities in tCT were detected in 82.4%. However, an abnormal tCT was a predictor for surgical therapy (p < .001).

We recommend the performance of tCT in CI patients with delayed complications to identify or rule out pathology in order to choose the most ideal and relevant individual treatment.