COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS-MEDIA

Nine patients are presented who underwent cochlear implantation ih the presence of chronic suppurative otitis media. Four had a simple tympa nic membrane perforation, four had a pre-existing mastoid cavity and o ne had cholesteatoma in the ear chosen for implantation. Patients with a simple perforation had a staged procedure with myringoplasty follow ed by cochlear implantation after an interval of three months. Patient s with cholesteatoma or with an unstable mastoid cavity were also stag ed. A mastoidectomy or revision mastoidectomy was performed with oblit eration of the middle ear and mastoid using a superiorly pedicled temp oralis muscle flap and blind sac closure of the external meatal skin. After a further six months a second stage procedure was performed to c onfirm that the middle-ear cleft was healthy and to insert the implant . Patients presenting with a stable mastoid cavity underwent obliterat ion of the cavity and implantation of the electrode as a one-staged pr ocedure. To date there have been no serious problems such as graft bre akdown, recurrence of disease or implant extrusion, and all patients a re performing well.