Recurrent Extrusion of Cochlear Implant at an Interval of 5 Years

Abstract

The two extrusions occurred with a long interval in between and at two different sites. The first extrusion occurred along the skin incision, and the second extrusion occurred away from the skin incision with infection around the device. The authors assumed that the first and the second extrusion occurred independently; the first extrusion was caused by insufficient blood supply resulting from scar formation from repeated mastoid operations and by pressure on the skin from the internal and external devices, and the second extrusion was caused by proliferated tissue pushing the device upward and against the skin as a result of chronic middle ear infection. The clinical course indicates that sufficiently long follow-up periods are needed to determine the usefulness of the prevention techniques for cochlear implantation in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media.