Conservative management of infections in cochlear implant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to evaluate a conservative management strategy of postoperative infection after cochlear implantation.


METHODS
A retrospective review of the medical records of 108 cochlear implant patients operated on at the University of California, San Francisco between 1991 and 2000 and 133 cochlear implant patients from the University of Iowa between 1997 and 2000 showed 4 patients with evidence of postoperative infections. The clinical presentation, intervention, laboratory results, and outcome are analyzed in each case.


RESULTS
Minimal surgical intervention with limited incision and drainage with prolonged postoperative antibiotics was effective in treating postoperative cochlear implant infections without the need for device removal. Implant function remained unaffected after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative cochlear implant infections can be effectively controlled with limited surgical and prolonged medical management. Chronic implant infections may be explained by a primary immunodeficiency. With appropriate treatment leading to infection control, a conservative management strategy is advocated before consideration of device explantation.
Yu
K C
KC
Division of Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery and Laboratory of Molecular Otology, Epstein Laboratories, and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Hegarty
J L
JL
Gantz
B J
BJ
Lalwani
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003054:Cochlear Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents