title: A database system for the registration of complications and failures in cochlear implant surgery applied to over 1000 implantations performed in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To create a system for the uniform registration and classification of complications and failures in cochlear implant surgery, and apply it to all the patients who underwent implantation in our clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  The definition of a medical complication was established, and data for all cochlear implantations performed between 1987 and 2012 were entered into a custom-made database system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One or more medical complications were registered in 19.0 per cent of 1003 cochlear implantations. The incidence of 'hard failure' was 2.3 per cent. Findings revealed a decrease in device failures over the years; the rate of medical complications remained constant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our database system, which is available free of charge, enables fast and accurate data entry. There were a relatively high number of (minor) complications in our series, but comparison with the relevant literature is difficult. This emphasises the need for a uniform definition of 'complication' as it relates to cochlear implant surgery, and an appropriate classification system for such complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen, and Centre for Neuroscience,Donders Institute for Brain,Cognition and Behaviour,Nijmegen,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Theunisse
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen, and Centre for Neuroscience,Donders Institute for Brain,Cognition and Behaviour,Nijmegen,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen, and Centre for Neuroscience,Donders Institute for Brain,Cognition and Behaviour,Nijmegen,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R J E
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pennings
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen, and Centre for Neuroscience,Donders Institute for Brain,Cognition and Behaviour,Nijmegen,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H P M
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kunst
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen, and Centre for Neuroscience,Donders Institute for Brain,Cognition and Behaviour,Nijmegen,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E A M
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mylanus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003628:Database Management Systems; D066264:Datasets as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult