Surgical considerations and safety of cochlear implantation in otitis media with effusion

Objective To evaluate the effects of otitis media with effusion on surgical parameters, patient safety, perioperative and postoperative complications. Methods Total 890 children who underwent cochlear implantation between 2006 and 2015 were included. The ages ranged from 12 months to 63 months (mean: 32 months). The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of otitis media with effusion; otitis media with effusion group and non-otitis media group. Results Of 890 children, 105 had otitis media with effusion prior to surgery. In non-otitis media with group, there were 785 children. The average duration of surgery was 60 min (ranged from 28 to 75 min) in non-otitis media group, and 90 min (ranged from 50 to 135 min) in otitis media with effusion group (p < 0.05). Granulation tissue and edematous middle ear and mastoid mucosa were observed in all cases of otitis media with effusion during the surgery. There was no significant difference between the complications of groups with or without otitis media with effusion (p > 0.05). In 5 of 105 patients, there was a ventilation tube inserted before cochlear implantation, which did not change the outcome of implantation. Conclusion There is no need for surgical treatment for otitis media with effusion before implantation since otitis media with effusion does not increase the risks associated with cochlear implantation. Operation duration is longer in the presence of otitis media with effusion. However, otitis media with effusion leads to intraoperative difficulties like longer operation duration, bleeding, visualization of the round window membrane, cleansing the middle ear granulations as well as mastoid and petrous air cells.