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Published on: August 4, 2023
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Monopolar Cautery Use in Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users
J Cody Page1, A Claire Chapel2, Rodrigo C Silva1,3
1Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Summary
Monopolar cautery use in pediatric cochlear implant (CI) patients is uncommon and does not appear to negatively impact CI function. This finding supports the safe use of monopolar cautery in CI recipients when necessary.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neurosurgery
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- The use of monopolar cautery in patients with cochlear implants (CIs) raises concerns about potential device damage and hearing function impairment.
- Limited data exists on the incidence and impact of monopolar cautery use in pediatric CI populations.
Approach:
- A retrospective chart review of pediatric CI patients (2012-2021) identified cases involving monopolar cautery during subsequent surgeries.
- A systematic literature review was conducted to identify additional cases and outcomes.
- Postoperative CI function was the primary outcome measure.
Key Points:
- Out of 190 pediatric CI patients, 15 (7.9%) underwent procedures using monopolar cautery.
- No device failures or declines in CI performance were observed in any patients.
- An additional 4 patients from the literature review showed no change in CI function after monopolar cautery use.
Conclusions:
- The use of monopolar cautery in pediatric CI patients appears safe and does not necessarily lead to implant dysfunction.
- While avoiding monopolar cautery is ideal, its use should not be automatically linked to CI failure.
