Midline Facial Nerve Monitoring: Single-Center Experience and Review of Literature.

Background: Facial nerve monitoring system has enabled facial muscle activity detection using electrodes placed over the target muscles. In an effort to enable the best and minimally invasive surgical approach, a midline facial nerve monitor was applied during bilateral cochlear implantation surgical intervention in our center and the feasibility of placing midline facial nerve monitor electrodes during bilateral cochlear implantation operations was evaluated.

Methods: The medical records and operative notes of all patients who underwent bilateral cochlear implantation surgery between January 2017 and April 2018 in a quaternary care center were retrospectively reviewed and divided into 2 groups based on the facial nerve monitoring methods: facial nerve monitoring with the midline (midline facial nerve monitor) or bilateral (bilateral facial nerve monitor) electrode placements.