Bilateral simultaneous cochlear implantation in children: our first 50 cases.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To assess the safety and surgical technique of bilateral simultaneous cochlear implantation in children. STUDY DESIGN Prospective case series at a tertiary academic pediatric hospital. METHODS Surgical times, complications, and patient outcomes are reported from the first 50 consecutive simultaneous cochlear implants performed at the Hospital for Sick Children between 2005 and 2008. These results were compared to the same measures in a group of sequentially implanted children consecutively implanted from 2001 to 2008. RESULTS The group of children receiving simultaneous bilateral cochlear implants showed no difference in complications, length of hospital stay, or use of analgesia and antiemetics compared with children receiving single implants. The simultaneously implanted children had a reduced cumulative surgical time and hospital stay than is required for bilateral implantation performed sequentially. CONCLUSIONS Bilateral simultaneous cochlear implantation in this series of children was safe and required no significant increase in surgical time and hospital stay compared with unilateral procedures.