Postoperative Complications of Cochlear Implant Surgery in Children

Abstract

Background: Cochlear implantation is a skillfully determined pediatric surgical intervention for severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss. While generally safe, postoperative complications can occur. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the incidence, types, risk factors, and treatment of these complications in cochlear-implanted recipients.

Methods: A prospective observational study on 48 children underwent unilateral multichannel cochlear implantation at the otolaryngology unit. Data collected included patient demographics, hearing loss etiology, surgical details, and postoperative complications, which were categorized as immediate (within 1 week), early (1 week-6 weeks), and late (beyond 6 weeks), and then were statistically analyzed and studied with 1-year follow-up.

Results: The overall complication rate was 22.91%. The cause of deafness was congenital in 83.33%, and acquired in 16.37%, with major complications at 2.79% and minor complications at 7.21%. Immediate complications included pain (18.18%) and wound edema (9.09%). Early complications comprised wound infection (27.27%), facial nerve weakness (18.18%), and cerebrospinal fluid leak (9.09%). Late complications included flap necrosis (9.09%) and device exposure (9.09%). Wound infection was significantly associated with younger age (P=.03) and history of ear infections (P=.01).

Conclusion: Pediatric cochlear implant surgery was generally safe, but its postoperative complications were not uncommon, so understanding the types, incidence, and risk factors of these complications in pre-operative counseling, intraoperative management, and postoperative care, together with meticulous surgical technique, to minimize complications, was crucial for optimizing outcomes.

Cite this article as: Dawood MR. Postoperative complications of cochlear implant surgery in children. Balkan ORL-HNS 2025;2(3):82-85.