Auditory Nerve Recovery Function in Cochlear Implant Surgery with Local Anesthesia and Sedation versus General Anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze auditory nerve recovery function (REC), comparing the results after local anesthesia and sedation with those after general anesthesia. METHODS: This was a prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study in a tertiary referral center hospital. We included all patients (37 ears) who underwent surgery for cochlear implant under either general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation during 3 years. REC was measured according to the function of 3 components, 'T0', 'A' and 'tau', and was taken for 3 cochlear electrodes (apical, medial and basal). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in 'tau' and in the current level used, but there were significant differences in the parameters 'T0' apical and 'A' basal. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in REC between the 2 types of anesthesia, except for the parameters 'T0' apical and 'A' basal.

Cochlear implant surgery with local anesthesia and sedation: comparison with general anesthesia.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possibility of performing cochlear implant surgery under local anesthesia and sedation and to evaluate the response of patients under sedation at the time of neural telemetry, comparing the differences with general anesthesia. PATIENTS: Twenty adult patients with bilateral sensorineural profound hearing loss submitted to cochlear implant surgery under general anesthesia and 20 patients under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation in the period from February 2011 to February 2012. The study was approved by the ethical committee of the institution. INTERVENTION: In both groups, we compared the costs of anesthesia, surgical time, time in recovery room, length of hospital stay, postoperative symptoms (pain, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness) and the degree of patient satisfaction. Besides, the reactions of the patients in the moment of the neural telemetry were also analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The endpoint of this study is to establish the possibility of doing cochlear implant surgery with local anesthesia and sedation, discussing the differences and advantages over general anesthesia. RESULTS: By t-test variables, time in recovery room, time in hospital stay, and cost of inpatient anesthesia differ between groups, being always lower in the group of local anesthesia with sedation. The same result can be obtained using the Wilcoxon test. The symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness did not differ in the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the realization of the cochlear implant surgery under local anesthesia, and sedation is perfectly feasible with some advantages over general anesthesia. There were no problems during the neural telemetry performed by the time of the surgery in patients with local anesthesia with sedation.

Local anesthesia for cochlear implant surgery: a possible alternative.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this paper is to illustrate the possibility of performing a cochlear implant surgery with local anesthesia and sedation, the anesthetic technique and the advantages of that in comparison to a general anesthesia. AIMS: prospective study demonstrating the possibility of doing cochlear implant surgery under local anesthesia and sedation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we describe three successful cases operated under local anesthesia, including neural telemetry and the conditions the patient presented after the surgery, with a very good recovery and no complications during and after the procedure. RESULTS: these three surgeries show the possibility of doing the cochlear implant surgery with this kind of anesthesia, with a fast recovery, no symptoms of dizziness and vomiting after the surgery, and very few complaints from the patient. CONCLUSION: local anesthesia with sedation for cochlear implant surgery in adults is a very good alternative for lowering the morbidity for the patient. It bears fewer risks, low costs for the hospital, with a very good procedure control, being very useful for older patients or the ones that have contraindications for general anesthesia.

Anestesia local e sedação para cirurgia de implante coclear: uma alternativa possível / Local anesthesia for cochlear implant surgery: a possible alternative

Aanestesia geral sempre foi motivo de dúvida dos pacientes que vão ser submetidos a qualquer cirurgia, especialmente o implante coclear. Como já realizamos as cirurgias otológicas com anestesia local e sedação, julgamos perfeitamente possível a realização da cirurgia do implante coclear também com esse tipo de anestesia, diminuindo os riscos, a morbidade e os custos para o hospital. OBJETIVOS: Estudo prospectivo para demonstrar a técnica anestésica e cirúrgica utilizada em três casos de adultos submetidos ao implante coclear, avaliando a segurança e a eficácia de tal técnica. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram feitas três cirurgias de implante coclear, duas com implante Cochlear e uma com Med-EL, sem intercorrências transoperatórias, durante a telemetria e no pós-operatório imediato. RESULTADOS: Os três pacientes adultos tiveram alta hospitalar aproximadamente três horas após a cirurgia, deambulando, sem eventos nauseosos, relatando um pós-operatório mais fácil do que esperavam, mesmo no momento da telemetria intraoperatória. CONCLUSÃO: Anestesia local e sedação é uma alternativa para casos selecionados de pacientes para o implante coclear, principalmente naqueles de mais idade ou que apresentem contraindicação para a anestesia geral, os riscos e a morbidade são menores.

The aim of this paper is to illustrate the possibility of performing a cochlear implant surgery with local anesthesia and sedation, the anesthetic technique and the advantages of that in comparison to a general anesthesia. AIMS: prospective study demonstrating the possibility of doing cochlear implant surgery under local anesthesia and sedation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we describe three successful cases operated under local anesthesia, including neural telemetry and the conditions the patient presented after the surgery, with a very good recovery and no complications during and after the procedure. RESULTS: these three surgeries show the possibility of doing the cochlear implant surgery with this kind of anesthesia, with a fast recovery, no symptoms of dizziness and vomiting after the surgery, and very few complaints from the patient. CONCLUSION: local anesthesia with sedation for cochlear implant surgery in adults is a very good alternative for lowering the morbidity for the patient. It bears fewer risks, low costs for the hospital, with a very good procedure control, being very useful for older patients or the ones that have contraindications for general anesthesia.