Study: Cochlear implantation under local anesthesia

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Study: Cochlear implantation under local anesthesia

(Cochlear implantation under local anesthesia in 117 cases: patients’ subjective experience and outcomes. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Sep 6. Dietz A, Lenarz T

Key message:

Cochlear implantation under local anesthesia was well tolerated and recommend by the majority of patients. Local anesthesia allows for subjective intraoperative monitoring of hearing impressions that could potentially minimize cochlear insertion trauma.

Background:

The retrospective study investigated 117 patients who received their cochlear implant under local anesthesia or without conscious sedation. Patients with higher risks under general anesthesia and patients with residual hearing qualifying for electric acoustic stimulation (EAS) were included in the study. The EAS patients were asked about their subjective hearing impression during electrode insertion. This allowed for an intraoperative modification and optimization of the electrode insertion.

Results: 

• Implantation under local anesthesia was successfully finished in all patients. No patient had to be switched to general anesthesia during surgery.
• 90% of patients rated the surgical experience as positive.
• 90% of patients were satisfied with the overall treatment and the intraoperative pain management.
• 84% would choose local anesthesia again.
• Intraoperative monitoring during electrode insertion into the cochlea allowed for an atraumatic insertion. All EAS patients were able to hear the test tone up to the end of surgery.

Read the study here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00405-021-07061-4