Effects of hyperbaric exposure on the integrity of the internal components of commercially available cochlear implant systems.

Hypothesis: This study investigated whether pressure changes common to scuba diving and to hyperbaric oxygen therapy would not cause crush damage or leakage from critical seals in commercially available cochlear implants.

Background: The implanted packages of cochlear implants are susceptible to electrical failure caused by leakage from critical seals and to crush injury when exposed to changing barometric pressures encountered in recreational diving and in hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Methods: Six Clarion 1.