RESULTS WITH THE NUCLEUS MULTICHANNEL COCHLEAR IMPLANT

Ç. Batman, S. İnanlı, A. Tutkun, M.A. Şehitoğlu

Marmara University Hospital, ENT Dept., İstanbul, Turkey

Over the past 2 years we have implanted the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant in 25 patients with severe hearing impairment. Twelve were children and 13 were adults, ranging in age 3-52. Nine of 12 children were prelingual and 3 were postlingual, 10 of the adults were postlingual and 3 were prelingual. Preoperative imaging high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were helpful for assessment of cochlear patency. For cochlear obliterations were encountered in which 3 of them detected preoperatively but in a child with a history of meningitis, partial to full unsaturated fibrous obliteration was found intraoperatively although CT and MRI were normal. Two high-risk patients with Wegener's granulomatosis and chronic renal failure were also enrolled. No major surgical complications were noted in all patients but one patient had temporary arytenoid dislocation due to intubation, which recovered within 2 months. The postoperative speech recognition of postlingual patients was satisfactory and prelingual patients have been receiving an education program by the Audiology department.