title: The role of post-operative imaging in cochlear implant surgery: a review of 220 adult cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of abnormal radiological findings after cochlear implantation and their effect on clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 220 adult cochlear implants. Clinical records and post-operative plain X-rays were reviewed and compared with pre-operative and 6-month post-operative City University of New York (CUNY) speech scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no cases of extra-cochlear array misplacement. Imaging showed 20 cases of incomplete array insertion (9.2%), 3 cases of kinking of the array (1.4%), 2 cases of tip rollover (0.9%), and 1 case of apparent array fracture (0.5%). Patient management was not altered by abnormal imaging. Patients with abnormal radiological findings had slightly minor improvements (median 39 vs. 56%) in City University of New York (CUNY) speech discrimination scores at 6 months (Mann-Whitney U test, P = 0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All abnormalities on post-operative imaging were minor and did not alter patient management. The future role of post-operative imaging is discussed.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coombs
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Clamp
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hajioff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003054:Cochlear Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cochlear implants; Electrode array placement; Hearing loss; Post-operative period; Radiography; Speech discrimination tests