Cochlear Implant Complications in Children and Adults: Retrospective Analysis of 148 Cases

Objective This study aimed to establish and discuss the intraoperative and postoperative complications affecting patients who underwent cochlear implant (CI) surgery from the Cochlear Implant Program of King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of 148 patients who underwent cochlear implantation at KAUH between 1999 and 2019. Postoperative complications were classified into minor and major complications. Minor complications resolved with minimal or no treatment. Major complications required additional surgery or hospitalization. Results Complications occurred in 28 (18.9%) patients. Minor complications occurred in 17 (11.5%) patients, which included otitis media (2%), facial palsy (1.4%), wound infection (1.4%), vertigo (1.4%), intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) gusher (1.4%), tinnitus (1.4%), facial stimulation (1.4%), hematoma (0.7%), and chorda tympani nerve injury (0.7%). Major complications occurred in 11 (7.4%) patients. These included flap dehiscence/infection (2%), device failure (1.4%), device migration (1.4%), mastoiditis (1.4%), electrode damage during insertion (0.7%), and misplaced electrodes (0.7%). Conclusion This study reported a low rate of surgical complications associated with CI, and most have been managed successfully without further complications. Our results prove that CI is a safe and reliable procedure, with a low complications rate when performed by experienced surgeons.