Clarion (R) cochlear implants: surgical implications

The surgical aspects of 34 Clarion(R) cochlear implants, positioned during a five-year period on 31 profoundly-deaf subjects as primary (11 children, 20 adults) and revision surgery tone child, three adults) were taken into c onsideration. Intra- and post-operative complications related to the specif ic structure of this device were considered along with the benefits obtaine d by update of the hardware and surgical approach. A smaller thickness of t he internal receiver as well as the shifting from a retro-auricular/sub-tem poral (RA-ST) to an endaural-retromastoid (EA-RM) approach have contributed to a dramatic drop in post-operative complications, such as skin defect or device extrusion. Special care should, however, be taken when cochlear imp lantation is planned in ears with chronic otitis or its surgical sequelae. From the two revised cases (hardware failure, electrode displacement) in wh om re-implantation in the same side was performed, it has been demonstrated that the helicoidal shape of the electrode carrier is not inducing any add itional trauma to the cohlear structure.