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Cochlear implant problems

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About 3 years ago I was fitted with a cochlear nucleus 8 implant in my left ear. I have and hearing aid in my right ear.I have servere loss in my left ear and medium hearing loss in my right ear.

After implantation there was problems turning up the volume of my processor as this would cause facial nerve twitching.

About 2 weeks ago the implant site became infected and my surgeon placed me on antibiotics and told me not to wear the processor.

The infection still seems to be there and I am seeing my specialist next week to determine the next steps.

My implant will probably have to be repositioned and I am not keen on further surgery but I may not have any choice.

Have any of you had these problems.

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Sorry to learn of the problem related to the implant. Facial nerve issues are rare with a , but they do happen. Along with involuntary twitching. Sometimes you wonder if the surgery itself is the cause of a delayed health problem or just the CI components by themselves. Off subject, but I’ve had a wisdom tooth that dentists have wanted to remove since 1985 for various reasons. When I inform dentists that they can only remove if they guarantee a nearby trigeminal nerve won’t be damaged (possibly causing partial face paralysis), they all back off. Once your infection disappears, I’d get a second or even third opinion from various CI surgeons on what options you might have.

@bestmg said:

After implantation there was problems turning up the volume of my processor as this would cause facial nerve twitching.

I believe @Deaf_piper had a similar issue that was fixed by turning off a frequency or two on her array. Maybe she will join the thread with some experienced help.

Sorry to hear about your implant area infection. Good luck with that and keep us updated please.

@Raudrive said:

I believe @Deaf_piper had a similar issue that was fixed by turning off a frequency or two on her array.

@bestmg I’m sorry to hear about your current infection and your facial nerve situation. I have an N8, I currently only have 20.5 electrodes working, this has not affected my end result at all, my IS 94%.

My situation was my array was resting too close to my vestibular nerve (the balance nerve). When I was activated I had very low stimulation at that time. It left me with a very mild intermittent loss of balance(LOB) More of a wonky feeling

As you know at every subsequent mapping the stimulation is increased slightly. At my first true mapping when the stimulation was increased slightly, the LOB was severe enough for me to grab onto the table or I would have fallen off the chair I was sitting on.

My instantly reduced the stimulation again and asked what happened. I told her if I hadn’t grabbed onto the table I would have finished up sitting on the floor. She instantly turned off the 1st electrode and locked the 2nd electrode as it was.

Now nearly 7 years later those 2 electrodes are still turned off or locked. My problem with my LOB from the electrode position has come back to normal.

Im not an AuD but talk to your Dr or AuD and ask the question what electrode stimulates the facial nerve? Then ask if those electrodes were turned off would the facial twitch stop? I don’t know if it would or wouldn’t, but it worked for me.

Good luck to you with your infection I hope it can be resolved very quickly for you.

Thanks for your replies.

Upon activation I only had 23 electrodes active.

When different electrodes were stimulated during mapping I experienced facial twitching. Because of this I have only been able to receive limited hearing assistance from my implant and I mainly rely on my hearing aid.

This mostly works in quite situations but I have a lot of problems hearing when there is any background noise.

@bestmg said:

Upon activation I only had 23 electrodes active

How many do you have now? I ask because @Deaf_piper has less than you and gets 94% speech understanding. Can you share what your word understand score is with only your ?

In noise hearing is challenging for all with hearing loss. I do pretty good in noise but I have spent time in noise learning how to hear in those climates. I have found you have to get into the problem areas to learn. Music is the same way.

How did you do your CI rehab? There might be better ways if you didn’t like how you did it. Reading and listening did not work for me. Everyone is different about these things. The audiologist doesn’t always know what’s best for you. The standard knowledge doesn’t always work for everyone. Somehow you have to figure out what works best for you. Streaming old TV shows I knew by heart with closed captions on to my processor only worked great for me, no hearing aid! Your hearing aid is the enemy when training your CI.

I don’t know the percentage of my speece understanding with the cochlear only.

However it would be low as during mapping I experience facial twitching as soon as the electrodes stimulation is increased and causes me to have difficulty understand speece when volume of sound received through my cochlear is low.

Have you had a Cochlear representative at any of your fittings? I would think the audiologist would turn off any electrodes that cause the twitching. Then bump the volume up on the good electrodes, get your rehabilitation going.

There are tests that can be done to help with your mappings once you get that twitching problem fixed. They might want to reposition the array as well when the implant is moved to help with this twitching issue. I am no expert at this, just trying to share some thoughts.

Try to keep your chin up, things will hopefully get better. It’s not too late to get that working for you.

A cochlear representative does do my mapping but up to now has not got the volume loud enough due to the twitching.

My implant may have to be repositioned due to the infection.I should know next Tuesday.

If so they may be able to make adjustments to remedy the twitching problem.

What a double hit to have an infection in the same area you might need to work. For my benefit, what does repositioning the implant entail, and will insurance cover this surgery, or do you have to pay out of pocket?

I’m not sure what depositing the implant entails but I’ll find out next week if that’s required. I’d say that it would be an operation.

Not sure if insurance would cover this . I’m covered by Veteran Affairs.

@bestmg said:

My implant will probably have to be repositioned and I am not keen on further surgery but I may not have any choice.

Perhaps my experience is not relevant to yours but FWIW, I had an Advanced Bionics for my left side and a Naida Link M on the R installed in early 2025. My hearing with the Ci became grossly distorted. Last Oct. a hearing test showed my comprehension getting worse. The surgeon ordered a scan that showed the electrode had moved. He said mine was the 2nd such experience in his 6 years of experience.

I had a 2nd surgery this Feb. which improved my hearing considerably. There were no complications from the surgery except the scar behind my ear is thicker and slightly tender.

A strange side effect: before the 2nd surgery, if I bent my L ear, I heard a metallic whine whether or not the processor was connected. Since the surgery that noise is gone.

Best wishes,
Fred

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