Evaluation of the Digisonic® SP cochlear implant: patient outcomes and fixation system with titanium screws

Cochlear implants have revolutionized the way patients affected by severe hearing loss experience the world. Neurelec developed a fixation system with two titanium screws that requires no skull bone drilling. OBJECTIVE: To describe the outcomes and procedure-related details of a series of patients implanted with the Digisonic® SP cochlear implant. METHOD: This retrospective study analyzed patients submitted to cochlear implant placement within a period of 18 months. All patients had postlingual hearing impairment. Data was collected from patient charts and standard questionnaires answered by the surgeons in charge of carrying out the procedures. RESULTS: The six patients offered the Digisonic® SP cochlear implants were operated by experienced surgeons. The procedures took 95 to 203 minutes (mean = 135') to be completed, which is less time than what has been described for other fixation approaches. No complications were recorded and hearing improvement was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The Digisonic® SP cochlear implant developed by Neurelec offered good audiological results for adult patients, shorter surgery time, and no surgical or postoperative complications.