Pediatric cochlear implantation. Radiologic observations of skull growth.
We investigated the effects of long-term implantation of auditory prostheses on skull growth in young animals. Four monkeys were implanted with dummy cochlear implants at 6 months of age. To simulate implantation in children, the bed for the receiver-stimulator or interconnecting plug was drilled across a calvarial suture down to the underlying dura. Plain skull roentgenograms were periodically taken to monitor head growth for up to 3 years after implantation. These longitudinal measurements revealed no significant asymmetric skull growth. Postmortem measurements using computed tomographic scans confirmed these results and showed no significant difference in the intracranial volumes between the implanted and control sides of each animal or between experimental and nonimplanted control monkeys. These results suggest that long-term cochlear implantation in very young children will not cause any significant deformity of the skull.
Xu
J
J
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Shepherd
R K
RK
Xu
S A
SA
Seldon
H L
HL
Clark
G M
GM
D000818:Animals; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D002508:Cephalometry; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008416:Mastoid / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery; D010294:Parietal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012405:Round Window, Ear / Q000601:surgery; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000601:surgery; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D012826:Silicone Elastomers