PEDIATRIC COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION IN OTITIS MEDIA WITH EFFUSION : SURGICAL DIFFICULTIES AND OUTCOMES

Background: Cochlear implantation is the surgical procedure of choice in patients with otitis media with effusion ,which is a common childhood disease, and this procedure may be associated with some surgical difficulties in the presence of such condition.Objectives: To evaluate the surgical difficulties and outcomes in pediatric cochlear implantation in the presence of otitis media with effusion .Patients and methods: A retrospective cohort study conducted in AL- Yarmouk teaching hospital /Baghdad/Iraq during 2022 on a sample of pediatric patients candidates for cochlear implant who divided into 2 groups , normally aerated ear group(A) and persistent Otitis media with effusion group(B) , both groups had been followed-up after 6 months.Results: The mean age of group A was (3.5± 1.3) years and for group B (3.4± 1.2) years. Normal tympanic membrane was found in 76 cases(90.5%) of group A , while abnormal tympanic membrane examination was found in 10 cases (83.3%) of group B. Intra-operatively, 5 cases (41.7%) of inflamed (congested) mucosa ,excessive bleeding found in 6 (50.0%) of cases , and presence of fluid or glue in 7 (58.3%) of cases found in group B, with high significant differences between the studied groups (p<0.001) . Regarding post operative complications, infection was found only in one case (1.2%) in group A, no meningitis were found in both groups, and only one case (1.2%) of mastoiditis found in group A with no significant difference between the two groups regarding postoperative complications. Conclusion: Early and late post-operative complications were nearly the same for cochlear implant in patient with Otitis media with effusion or without Otitis media with effusion.