A new modified double-flap technique for cochlear implant surgery
Reviewed by Thomas Nikolopoulos

The authors retrospectively assessed 342 implantees with a minimum of five years’ follow-up who had been implanted using a lazy S-shaped post auricular incision with a modified double-flap technique. From the notes, postoperative wound complications and any other adverse events were identified and tabulated. According to the authors’ classification major complications included flap necrosis, wound infection requiring surgical intervention, and wound dehiscence with or without implant exposure. On the other hand, minor complications were considered as swelling over the implant and superficial wound infections managed conservatively. The authors reported a mean surgical time of less than 90 minutes and only four minor wound complications in all 342 implantees with none lost to, at least, five years’ follow-up. Two weeks was the standard time elapsed between surgery and fitting. The outcomes are more than encouraging. However they should be interpreted with caution due to the retrospective nature of the study.

The outcome of our modified double-flap technique for cochlear implantation: a case series of 342 consecutive patients.
Alzoubi F, Oda H, Omari AA, Al-Zuraiqi B.
COCHLEAR IMPLANTS INTERNATIONAL
2015;16(2):95-9.