Original Paper

Analysis of Fifty-Six Cochlear Implant Device Failures
Jan Gosepath^a, Karl Lippert^b, Annerose Keilmann^b, Wolf J. Mann^b

Departments of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery,
^aDr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Mainz, Wiesbaden, and
^bSchool of Medicine, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

ORL 2009;71:142-147 (DOI: 10.1159/000212756)

  Key Words

• Cochlear implant
• Revision surgery
• Reimplantation
• Failure analysis
• Audiologic performance

  Abstract

Objective: Our aim was to present a failure analysis after cochlear implant revision surgery in a large series of children and adults and to assess the outcome and audiologic performance. Methods: Fifty-six cochlear implant failures that occurred in 422 devices implanted between 1990 and 2007 at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Mainz, Germany, were retrospectively analyzed. The causes of failure were reviewed evaluating the individual history, telemetric and intraoperative findings and manufacturer's investigation reports. Results: We performed 56 surgical revisions in a series of 422 consecutive implants (overall revision rate: 13.27%). The most frequent causes for revision were hard failures (58.9%), most commonly caused by traumatic impact (37.5%), especially in the pediatric population. Soft failures were less frequent (21.4%). Surgical reimplantations, although challenging in some cases, were performed without complications and with an electrode insertion depth comparable to that at the time of the initial implantation in all patients. The average audiologic performance improved by 2.4 dB in pure-tone perception levels after reimplantation. Conclusion: The cochlear implant failure rates vary between children and adults as well as between different implant manufactures. However, cochlear reimplantation is safe with excellent and predictable results in audiologic performance.

Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Jan Gosepath MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Ludwig Erhard Strasse 100
DE-65199 Wiesbaden (Germany)
Tel. +49 611 432 371, Fax +49 611 433 628, E-Mail jan.gosepath@hsk-wiesbaden.de

  Article Information

Received: July 1, 2008
Accepted after revision: January 26, 2009
Published online: April 16, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 20