Is reimplantation possible for upgrading to newer technology?
Yes, survival of ganglion cells despite insertional trauma of the cochlea may in part explain the overall good results of reimplantation. Many reimplantations have involved upgrading a single channel to a multichannel device and several authors have commented on the safety of reimplantation of multichannel devices. Hearing outcomes have been reported to be as good as or better than with the initial CI with no significant complication rate. Reimplantation success has potential implications for device upgrade in future.
