title: Multicenter evaluation of Neurelec Digisonic® SP cochlear implant reliability.
abstract: Over the past decade, the adoption of universal hearing screening in newborns has led to earlier detection of hearing problems and significant lowering of the age of first cochlear implantation. As a consequence, recipients are now expected to keep their cochlear implants (CIs) for a longer period of time. Comprehensive longitudinal information on CI reliability is essential for device choice. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability (in children and adults) of the latest generation of the Digisonic(®) SP CI launched in 2006 by Neurelec. Failure rate (FR) and cumulative survival rate (CSR) for a 5-year period were calculated. This survey is a multicenter retrospective study. A questionnaire was sent to nine CI centers requesting information about patients implanted with Neurelec Digisonic(®) SP CIs. FR and CSR over a 5-year period were calculated on this group. Collaborating centers collected data on 672 patients (362 children and 310 adults) implanted between March 2006 and March 2011. The overall rate of explantation was 2.23 % (15 cases): six devices were explanted due to device failure (0.89 %) and nine were explanted for medical reasons (1.34 %). Four patients were lost to follow-up. The CSR at 5 years was 98.51 % on all patients, 98.48 % for children and 98.57 % for adults. FR was 0.97 % for adults and 0.83 % for children. This first independent study that assesses FR and CSR on the current generation of Digisonic(®) SP CI represents an important resource that can help clinicians and patients during their device choice.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Gr. T. Popa", 14, Pantelimon Halipa Street, 700661 Iasi, Romania. lmradulescu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Luminiţa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rădulescu
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cozma
authors.forename: Casimir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niemczyk
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guevara
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gahide
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Economides
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lavieille
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meller
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bébéar
authors.forename: Emilien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radafy
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bordure
authors.forename: Djamel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Djennaoui
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Truy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D020878:Device Removal; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis