Introduction:

Cochlear implantation is an effective method for hearing rehabilitation in patients with severe neurosensory hearing loss in which hearing aids do not provide good discrimination. Although cochlear implantation is a safe technique, adverse effects related to surgery have been described, including flap infection or facial paralysis.

Objective:

To analyze the complications of cochlear implanted patients in a tertiary university hospital: The Hospital Universitario Doctor Peset of Valencia, from January 2001 to March 2020.

Methodology:

This is a descriptive observational study of the complications in a sample of 134 patients with cochlear implant surgery in The Hospital Universitario Doctor Peset of Valencia in a period of 20 years. Descriptive statistics were used in the statistical analysis. To demonstrate significant differences between variables we used the R program. The χ2 test was used for proportions, considering significant a p value < 0.05.

Results:

134 patients were implanted. The global frequency of complications was 17.9%, 4.5% were major complications and 13.4% were minor complications. The most frequent complication was inactivation or incomplete insertion of some electrodes.

Discussion:

Our complication rate is within the range published in the literature (14.9-18.3%). The major complication rate is 5% which is similar to our series. Conclusions: The cochlear implant is a safe surgical technique for the rehabilitation of patients with severe neurosensory hearing loss, although it is not riskless, therefore, one must know that complication are possible. MÉD.UIS.2021;34(2):19-28

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