COCHLEAR IMPLANT SURGERY AT THE CLINICAL CENTER Of VOJVODINA – TEN-YEAR EXPERIENCE KOHLEARNA IMPLANTACIJA U KLINIČKOM CENTRU VOJVODINE − DESETOGODIŠNJE ISKUSTVO

Introduction. The first cochlear implant surgery was performed at the Center for Cochlear Implantation of the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina in 2002 after long preparations and that was the first successful cochlear implantation in Serbia. Material and Methods. Over the period from November 2002 to November 2013, 99 patients underwent surgical procedures and 100 cochlear implants were placed. Results. The analysis encompassed 99 patients, the youngest and the oldest one being 1 year and 61 years old, respectively. Prelingual and postlingual deafness developed in 84 (84.9%) and in 15 (15.1%), respectively. Postlingual deafness was observed in all 11 adult patients. The prelingual deafness was diagnosed in 84 (95.4%) children, whereas in four (4.6%) children it occurred after the development of speech between 6 and 8 years of age. Progressive hearing loss was observed in 11 patients seven adults and four children. The majority of our patients, i.e. 74 (74.75%) manifested idiopathic deafness of unknown cause. A range of usually reported hearing loss etiologies included ototoxic medications in seven (7.07%), hereditary factor in six (6.06%), and bacterial meningitis in four (4.04%) patients. Somewhat less common causes were perinatal hypoxia in three (3.03%), premature birth in three (3.03%), Down syndrome in one (1.01%), and chronic otitis media in one (1.01%) patient. Conclusion. Both intraoperative and postoperative complications were analyzed in the investigated patient population. The complications developed in 11 patients, i.e. in 10.5% of 105 surgical procedures. The majority of procedures (89.5%) were not accompanied by any post-surgical complications. Unsuccessful implantation in a single-step procedure and transient facial nerve paralysis can be considered most frequent among our patients, whereas cochlear ossification and transient ataxia occurred more rarely. Stimulation of facial nerve, intraoperative perilymph liquid gusher, device failure and late infections were recorded extremely rarely.