Klickgeräusche durch bewegliche Magnete bei Cochlea Implantaten: Fallbeschreibung und akustische Messungen

Severe to profound hearing loss and deafness are treated with a cochlear implant (CI) fitting. Today, the indication for CI fitting in adult patients with single sided deafness (SSD) has been recognized and financed in Germany. A magnet in the center of the CI receiver coil attaches the transmitter coil, which is worn on the outside of the head. CI from the manufacturers Advanced Bionics (Valencia, California, USA), Cochlear (Macquarie, Australia), and MED-EL (Innsbruck, Austria) are equipped with movable magnets so that MRI examinations in CI patients can be performed without side effects and without the risk of a magnet dislocation. For a 16-year-old male adolescent presented in this case report, who suffered from SSD, the indication for a CI was established after detailed diagnostics and a CI stimulator was implanted. During the postoperative period, the patient described a click-noise of the CI magnet, which was caused by jerky movements of the head (head shaking) as well as when walking. This click-noise was perceived as a severe impairment. Despite intensive rehabilitation, no hearing success was achieved due to the click-noise, which was perceived as stressful. Finally, an explantation was performed at the patient's request. The manufacturer