Current Standards in Cochlear Implantation. Preliminary Results of a Survey Among Politzer Society

Background: the preoperative assessment, the surgical procedure and the postoperative evaluation of cochlear implantation (CI) are evolving fast to improve effectiveness and to reduce complications. Objective: to disclose the current trends in CI and the customs of practice of CI teams worldwide. Methods: a survey on CI had been conducted through an online questionnaire posted on the Global Otology Online Discussion Forum of the Politzer Society - The International Society for Otologic Surgery and Science. Questions were grouped into general informations, preoperative issues, surgical procedure, postoperative issues and free comments. A preliminary statistical analysis was performed. Results: one-hundred and twenty-one responses were recorded, coming from 43 nations in the 5 continents. CI in single sided deafness (SSD), CI at extreme ages, the relationship between electrode array technology and outcome, minimally invasive CI techniques, quality of life after CI were investigated. Conclusion: some facets of CI are still a controversial topic, resulting in very different standards of practice among CI teams.