Cochlear implantation in atelectasis and chronic otitis media: long-term follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To report the long-term results of cochlear implantation in cases with chronic otitis media or atelectasis using a single surgical technique performed in a single cochlear implant center.


METHODS
Nine patients who were implanted using the blind-pit closure of the external ear canal technique (4 patients with adhesive otitis media and 5 with radical mastoid cavities). Follow-up ranged from 18 months to 12 years (mean, 7.05 yr).


METHODS
The surgical procedure was performed in 2 stages. The first stage included canal wall down or lowering any high facial ridge in previous mastoidectomies, removal of all skin, and blind-pit closure of the external ear canal without mastoid cavity obliteration or eustachian tube obliteration. Cochlear implantation was performed 6 months after the first surgical procedure.


RESULTS
All operations were uneventful, and during cochlear implantation, as a second stage, no epithelia or other problems were encountered. No serious complications were encountered during the follow-up period. One case had a minor disruption of the external canal closure that was reclosed successfully under local anesthesia. All patients were using the device at the last follow-up interval with no device problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Blind-sac closure of the external ear canal without obliteration is a rather safe surgical procedure in cases with chronic otitis media or atelectasis. Meticulous surgical technique and proper patient selection are of paramount importance. However, a 2-stage procedure may not always be necessary and might best be confined to those patients who have active inflammatory disease at the primary procedure.
Xenellis
John
J
ENT Department, Athens University, Ippokratio, Greece.
Nikolopoulos
Thomas P
TP
Marangoudakis
Pavlos
P
Vlastarakos
Petros V
PV
Tsangaroulakis
Antonios
A
Ferekidis
Eleftherios
E
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003051:Cochlea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications*; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000150:complications*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed