EXPLANTATION OF A NUCLEUS MULTICHANNEL COCHLEAR IMPLANT AND REIMPLANTATION INTO THE CONTRALATERAL EAR - A CASE-REPORT OF A NEW STRATEGY

We present a unique case in which a multichannel cochlear implant devi ce was explanted and the same device was re-implanted into the contral ateral ear. A patient with bilateral total deafness secondary to head injury received an implant in his left ear but developed severe facial nerve stimulation. Because this stimulation could not be eliminated e ffectively with change of programming, it was decided to implant the c ontralateral ear. Since the device itself was functioning well, it was explanted from the left ear and re-implanted successfully into the ri ght ear. Facial nerve stimulation was minimal in this ear and the pati ent demonstrated very good speech discrimination. To our knowledge, th is is the first description of this strategy.