When should people planning to receive a cochlear implant be vaccinated against meningitis?
To provide maximum protection during and after surgery, persons scheduled to receive cochlear implants should make sure two or more weeks before surgery, they are up-to-date, for their age, on pneumococcal vaccinations recommended for people at increased risk. In addition, parents of children younger than 5 years old should also be sure their child has received the right number of Hib doses two or more weeks before surgery. Persons already up to date on these vaccines do not need extra doses before surgery. Meningococcal vaccine is usually not needed before or after cochlear implant surgery.
