Surgery Information

• A surgery scheduler will call you with your pre-op date and time; PLEASE make sure your contact information remains current in the UNC hospital system

• At least 2 weeks prior to surgery date contact ENT Department Financial Counselor to confirm that surgery is APPROVED/COVERED
  
  • Kelan Beacham phone# (919) 966-8815
• Report any signs of illness or temperature that occur within 3 days prior to surgery to the ENT office (919) 966-6484

• Do not give your child aspirin or aspirin containing products within 2 weeks prior to surgery as it acts as a blood thinner

• The day before surgery a scheduler will call you to confirm your surgery time

• Your child should have nothing to eat after midnight the day before surgery and only limited clear liquids the day of surgery

• Cochlear implant surgery typically lasts 3-4 hours. Children are usually discharged the day of surgery but parents should come prepared to stay overnight in the event that your child is not discharged for unpredictable reasons

• Your child will wear hospital pajamas for the surgery but bring clothes to wear home. A shirt that buttons or zips up the front is optimal as the bandage will be too large for a pullover type shirt

• A nurse will teach you how to care for the incision and dressing at home. Keep the area clean and dry until your child returns to the doctor to have the stitches and bandage removed about 7 days after surgery

• Initial stimulation of the device will take place approximately 4 weeks following surgery. Your child may continue to wear his or her hearing aid in the opposite ear if desired. Discuss this with your audiologist.

Surgical Videos

Below are videos of actual surgery. We respect the fact that while some individuals are interested in the surgical process, others are not so inclined. If you are one of the interested, please click on the links below to view surgical footage.

To view the videos, Apple Quick Time is required. This application is available for download at: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download

• Drilling the Bony Bed for the Implant Receiver
  Quick Time Movie, Size: 13 MB, 2:31 Minutes.
  Craig A Buchman, MD

• Implantation of a "Gusher" Ear
  Quick Time Movie, Size: 16 MB, 1:01 Minutes.
  Craig A Buchman, MD
• Cochlear Implantation in an Adult Patient
  Quick Time Movie, Size: 28 MB, 5:55 Minutes.
  Harold C. Pillsbury, MD

The Incision

Below is a photo showing where the incision is currently made for the majority of cochlear implant surgeries.  In most cases, hair does not need to be shaved.