The decision to proceed with a surgical implant is made jointly by the patient, the ENT consultant and the audiologist at an appointment called an MDT (multidisciplinary team) meeting.
The team together reviews the audiology results and the CT scan (if the scan is required) to determine which option will be best for the patient.
Surgery at Bradford Royal Infirmary is carried out by highly specialised ENT surgeons. Some surgeries, for the smallest implant, can be carried out under local anaesthetic, preventing the use of a general anaesthetic and therefore avoiding associated risks in patients who may be medically unfit.
Surgery for the more complex implants is carried out under general anaesthetic, which may be a day case, or may incur a night’s stay in hospital. Read about general anaesthesia here.
After surgery, implants need some time to settle in. Patients will have a review to check the surgical site and remove stitches if necessary with an ENT nurse around 7-10 days post surgery. The hearing device will then be fitted several weeks later once the implant site has healed.
Patients who have an abutment have to make sure the site is kept clean every day. This will soon become part of a daily routine, like brushing your teeth. Patients will be shown how to do this with a wet wipe around the abutment, and this will be checked at each appointment.
What are the risks of surgery?
Every operation carries risks and possible side effects. These may include:
– Pain
– Infection
– Bleeding
– Dizziness
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Tinnitus (ringing or noises in the ear/s or head)
– Weakness in facial muscles
– Taste Disturbances
– Leak of cerebrospinal fluid i.e. the fluid surrounding the brain
The chances of these occurring are small and many last a short time after surgery, and or/or can be treated after surgery.
It is recommended to avoid any contact sports which could result in trauma to the implant for the initial 6 weeks post surgery. For abutment surgery, it is recommended to avoid hair-washing for a least 3 days after the operation and to ensure that the healing cap that was fit is not removed until the post-surgical review with the ENT team.