Cochlear implant in an ambulatory surgery center.

Presbycusis, or sensorineural hearing loss in the elderly population, affects approximately 40% to 50% of people over the age of 75. A variety of devices are available to those with hearing loss. Cochlear implants, for example, are especially useful for those with severe-to-profound hearing loss. The population is aging, so the demand for cochlear implantation in ambulatory surgery centers will likely increase. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) can provide a more convenient and less expensive location for cochlear implant surgery than hospital-based operating facilities. Patient selection using standard ASC criteria, coupled with an understanding of the unique surgical and anesthetic needs of cochlear implant patients, are key to bringing this once exotic inpatient procedure into the ASC.