Abstract
Objectives: Cochlear implant device failures and reimplantation have been reported on mainly in adults, with mixed results. The purpose of this study was to attempt to isolate prognostic indicators of device failures and to assess the effects of reimplantation on performance in children.
Methods: 19 children underwent cochlear implant reimplantation due to device failure from 1997–2002. The pre-failure complaints were categorized and correlated with the actual failure modes and the post-reimplantation results. Word and sentence recognition tests were used to evaluate pre- and post-reimplantation performance.
Results: 3 of the 19 children had devices which failed shortly after implantation while the remaining 16 children had used the devices for 1 to 10 years and were reimplanted with upgraded units. Several pre-failure symptoms including popping, shock, noise, and intermittency were associated with device failures in children, although outcomes following reimplantation were not associated with specific types of failures. Despite the fact that the majority of children received upgraded devices, speech perception performance immediately following re-implantation was often poorer than preoperative levels and usage ranging from several months to 1 year was necessary in order to reach pre-reimplant or better levels.
Conclusion: Specific complaints from pediatric cochlear implant users can be precursors to device failures although not indicators of post-reimplantation performance. Reimplantation with more recent technology did not guarantee improved speech understanding and often required an adjustment period to reach pre-reimplantation levels.