Considerations of cochlear implant surgery.

Although cochlear implants have been reported to be easy to perform, some difficulties have been experienced in 4 of 21 operations. In order to make this surgery easier, the following points should be considered. Pre-operative CT and MRI must be performed in order to determine the condition of the cochlea. To determine the condition of the round window, exploratory tympanotomy is recommended in some cases. After insertion of the electrode in the cochlea, a radiograph should be taken during the operation to confirm that the electrode is correctly positioned.