The magnets in some hearing implants may interfere with the operation of programmable cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt systems used to treat hydrocephalus, causing over- or under-drainage, the FDA warned yesterday.
Magnetic interactions between cochlear implants, bone-conduction hearing devices or middle-ear hearing devices implanted too closely to shunt systems may “ lead to unintended changes to the programmable CSF shunt valve settings,” the agency said in a statement.