(0967) Timing of Onset of Otitis Media and Mastoiditis Following Cochlear Implantation

Introduction: This project investigates the timing of onset of acute otitis media and acute mastoiditis following routine cochlear implant interventions for severe sensorineural hearing loss. This will provide insight into the ideal timing of preventative interventions to improve the patient experience following cochlear implantation.

Methods: Using the TriNetX database, data was collected in January 2024 from past coding records, which demonstrates the timing of onset of acute otitis media and acute mastoiditis following cochlear implantation. Data was collected, which grouped the number of cases of acute otitis media and of acute mastoiditis that presented in each of the following three time frames after cochlear implantation: 1-30 days, 31-180 days, and 181-365 days. This data was used to determine the ideal timing of possible preventative interventions to improve the patient experience following cochlear implantation. Preliminary analysis shows the highest incidence for both acute otitis media and acute mastoiditis occurred in the 31-181 day time frame.

Results: The incidence of acute otitis media following cochlear implantation was 0.329% in the 1-30 day window following cochlear implantation, 0.653% in the 31-180 day window, and 0.513% in the 181-365 day window. The incidence of acute mastoiditis following cochlear implantation was 0.065% in the 1-30 day range, 0.110% in the 31-180 day range, and 0.065% in the 181-365 day range. The incidence of both post-surgical complications was found to be highest in the 31-181 day time frame. Risk ratio analysis revealed increased incidence of both acute otitis media and acute mastoiditis across all time frames compared to a balanced control group.

Conclusions: Patient risk of acute otitis media and acute mastoiditis increases following cochlear implantation. It was discovered that incidence rates of these complications are highest in the 31-180 day window following cochlear implantation. Further investigation is merited regarding preventative measures that can be implemented both prior to and during the 31-180 day time frame to prevent the incidence of these complications.