Care after cochlear implant surgery

How do I take care of my child’s ear after surgery?

Your child will have a dressing that puts gentle pressure where they had surgery. This is to reduce swelling. Take the dressing off 2 days after surgery. 
If it has a Velcro strap: 

1. Undo the Velcro.
2. Remove the plastic cap. 
3. Take off any cotton and gauze around the ear.

If it is a gauze wrap:

1. Cut the small strings holding the wrap together.  
2. Unwrap the rest of the gauze. 
3. Take off any cotton and gauze around your ear.

• A bump might be felt on the head behind or above the ear. This is the implant. Do not press on or move it for 2 weeks after surgery. 
• Your child should try not to sleep on the implant sites for 1 week after surgery.
• The skin incision is closed with surgical glue, stitches, or both. 
  • This should be left in place.  This allows the skin edges to heal. 
  • Do not remove or pick at them. 
  • Do not scrub or soak the area while it is healing.

What about bathing and showering?

• You may bathe your child the day after surgery. Do not get the head wet.
• Once the outer dressing is removed, gently wash the hair with a washcloth. Start this only after the outer dressing is removed. Be gentle with washing hair over the device for 1 month after surgery.
• Do not scrub or soak the area with the stitches or glue behind the ear.

What medicines will my child need?

Pain medicines
Your child may feel tingling, itchiness, numbness and pinpricks as the skin heals.  This is normal.  Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) will help with any pain. For the best pain control, write down when you give the medicine.  You will be told how to switch between these two kinds of medicine.  Please call the office if this does not help the pain. 

Antibiotics
Your child may need medicine to prevent infection. Your provider will tell you when to start this.   Give the right amount of medicine for the right amount of time. Your provider will tell you how long to take the medicine.   

What should my child stop or do differently after Cochlear Implant surgery?

For at least one month after surgery, your child should not:

• Blow their nose. 
• Sneeze with mouth closed.  This keeps pressure from building inside the ear.
• Pop their ears.
• Bend over, lift heavy things, or do activities that make them strain.
• Travel by airplane.  If travel is necessary, please talk with the doctor.
• Do contact sports.  This includes:
  • jumping
  • basketball
  • soccer
  • gymnastics
  • swimming
  • running

Your child may go back to school once they feel well. Talk with your provider about what activities they can do.

What can happen after surgery?

• Hearing: Your child will not be able to hear out of the ear with the new cochlear implant until it is turned on.  This happens 2 to 4 weeks after surgery. If your child wears a hearing aid in the other ear, they may use it any time after surgery. Your child may hear some ringing or other noises in the implant ear for 1to 2 weeks after surgery.
  
  
• Dizziness: Dizziness or feeling off balance may happen.  This often improves over the first few days after surgery. 
  
  
• Taste: Your child’s sense of taste may be different right after surgery. Your child might notice one side of their tongue feels slightly numb. This should get better over a few weeks to few months after surgery.
  
  
• Bruising: A little bruising around the ear can happen. Some blood clots may appear in the nose.  This is from blood moving down the Eustachian tube. This tube connects the inside of the ear to the sinuses.  There may also be some bruising near the eye or mouth. 
  
  
• Numbness: The area around the implant site may feel numb or like pin pricks. This may take a few months to get better.