Local anesthesia for cochlear implant surgery: a possible alternative

ABSTRACT: 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. Clinical trial register - IC - 026 (clinicaltrials.gov)