[Postoperative complications of cochlear implant: eight years of experience].

BACKGROUND

Cochlear implant surgery has a low morbidity and mortality. Postoperative complications can be minor and major. Minor complications require conservative management; major complications require reoperation or implant removal. The aim is to determine our complications and compare them with international and Latin American series.

METHODS

275 operated cases were retrospectively analyzed from December 2005 to December 2013. Children and adults between 11 months to 82 years old are included. Demographic data, unilateral or bilateral placement, type of surgery and postoperative complications were evaluated. The follow-up was made for 20 months.

RESULTS

The 57.46 % are children and adolescents, youth and adults are 33.81 %; and 8.73 % are seniors. The complication rate is 12 % (n = 33), 6.91 % for women and 5.09 % for men. There are more complications among 19 to 60 years old. Minor complications account for 7.6 %: local infection (n = 9), delayed transient facial palsy (n = 7), vertigo (n = 3) and tinnitus (n = 2). These are prevalent in children and adults. Major complications are 4.36 %: postoperative hematoma (n = 8), extrusions (n = 2) and inadequate electrode placement (n = 2). These predominate in adults among 19 to 60 years. No deaths or cases of meningitis occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Cochlear implantation has a low incidence of complications. Our results, the only reported at the national level, are comparable with those mentioned in literature.