About Video

An 11-month-old female patient with congenital deafness. Oblique T2 MRI reconstructions are useful to rule out cochlear nerve hypoplasia. This video highlights the surgical technique of cochlear implantation. After the patient is placed under general anesthesia, facial nerve monitoring is set up on one or both sides (if bilateral simultaneous implantation will be performed). A template of the device may be used to plan the location of the internal receiver/stimulator. If simultaneous or the second side of sequential implantation is planned, then a template can be created with a piece of paper on the first side, and the position of the internal receiver/stimulator on the second side can be planned to match the position on the first side for improved cosmesis. The ear is then prepared using standard aseptic technique and draped. A 4–5 cm postauricular incision is planned approximately 1 cm posterior to the postauricular crease, with care being taken to ensure that the incision does not traverse the body of the internal receiver/stimulator.