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Delayed-onset swelling around the implant after cochlear implantation: a series of 26 patients

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to clarify the clinical features of delayed-onset swelling around cochlear implants (CI), and to present our experience on how to avoid and address this problem.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of all CI cases at our institution between June 2001 and June 2020. Information on postoperative complications of swelling in the receiver area > 3 months after implantation were analyzed, and clinical data sheets were drawn.

Results

Twenty-six of 1425 patients (1.82%) with an age at implantation ranging from 1 to 9 years experienced delayed-onset swelling around the implant. Swelling episodes occurred as early as 4 months, and as late as 178 months after implantation (median, 79.7 months). The predisposing factor in 12 cases was unclear, 7 cases were caused by trauma at the implantation site, 5 cases were without predisposing factors, and 2 cases were related to infection. We found the frequency of delayed-onset swelling after cochlear implantation with different incision was statistically insignificant (P = 0.423). Nineteen patients (73.1%) were cured after one treatment, and five patients (19.2%) relapsed. Follow-up examinations at least 18 months after surgery revealed that all patients experienced a complete recovery.

Conclusions

Delayed-onset swelling at the receiver site is a long term but not exactly uncommon complication after cochlear surgery and long-term follow-up is eagerly required. It can recur more than once, causing more complex treatment strategies in clinical practice. Conservative treatment first recommended, while needle aspiration should initially be considered in recurrent cases also when the effusion swelling is > 3 ml.

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Acknowledgements

We sincerely wish to thank Professor Menghe Guo for his patience and concern for the CI patients. Professor Menghe Guo performed the original CI operations in our department and provided valuable follow-up data.

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province [Grant number 2019A141401003], Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province [Grant number 2020A151501253].

Author information

Author notes

  1. Fan Shu and Minyun Yao: First authors.

  2. Fan Shu and Minyun Yao contributed equally to the study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China

    Fan Shu, Minyun Yao, Yimeng Liu, Jieqing Cai, Muqing Xu, Shanshan Jiang, Xinyuan Tan, Jie Tang & Hongzheng Zhang

  2. Hearing Research Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China

    Fan Shu, Yimeng Liu, Jieqing Cai, Muqing Xu, Shanshan Jiang, Xinyuan Tan, Jie Tang & Hongzheng Zhang

  3. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Fujian Provincial Hospital South Branch, Fuzhou, 350028, China

    Minyun Yao

  4. Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China

    Jie Tang

  5. Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China

    Jie Tang

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  1. Fan Shu
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Shu, F., Yao, M., Liu, Y. et al. Delayed-onset swelling around the implant after cochlear implantation: a series of 26 patients. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 280, 681–688 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07537-x

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