Reported Reactions

Devices › Implant, cochlear

Device brand name · Cochlear implant

MED-EL Combi 40+ Cochlear Implant System: medical device reports filed with FDA

6,149 reports name it, 2001–2024. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete. Product code MCM.

6,149
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 248 a year
0
reports, 12 months to August 2026
0 in the 12 months before
56.6%
classified as malfunction
43.1% across the product code
0%
classified as death, as reported
2 reports · not verified by FDA

FDA's MAUDE database holds 6,149 reports that name the brand "MED-EL Combi 40+ Cochlear Implant System" (cochlear implant), received between September 2001 and March 2024; the manufacturer given most often on reports is Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete. Spellings of one product vary from report to report.

0 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, and none in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are malfunction (56.6%), injury (41.9%) and other (1.4%); across all implant, cochlear reports (product code MCM) death is recorded in 0.1% and malfunction in 43.1%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are device operates differently than expected (25.8%), device remains implanted (15.2%) and high impedance (13.1%). The patient problems coded most often are failure of implant, hearing impairment and hearing loss. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

01223Sep 2021: 10Oct 2021: 8Nov 2021: 15Dec 2021: 232022Jan 2022: 11Feb 2022: 10Mar 2022: 11Apr 2022: 11May 2022: 13Jun 2022: 15Jul 2022: 4Aug 2022: 12Sep 2022: 11Oct 2022: 13Nov 2022: 12Dec 2022: 102023Jan 2023: 6Feb 2023: 11Mar 2023: 12Apr 2023: 12May 2023: 11Jun 2023: 7Jul 2023: 9Aug 2023: 12Sep 2023: 18Oct 2023: 15Nov 2023: 7Dec 2023: 52024Jan 2024: 9Feb 2024: 14Mar 2024: 8Apr 2024: 0May 2024: 0Jun 2024: 0Jul 2024: 0Aug 2024: 0Sep 2024: 0Oct 2024: 0Nov 2024: 0Dec 2024: 02025Jan 2025: 0Feb 2025: 0Mar 2025: 0Apr 2025: 0May 2025: 0Jun 2025: 0Jul 2025: 0Aug 2025: 0Sep 2025: 0Oct 2025: 0Nov 2025: 0Dec 2025: 02026Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 0Mar 2026: 0Apr 2026: 0May 2026: 0Jun 2026: 0Jul 2026: 0Aug 2026: 0

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

02214412001: 3020012002: 1572003: 2022004: 23420042005: 2722006: 3262007: 35020072008: 4252009: 4412010: 40920102011: 4222012: 3362013: 31420132014: 3892015: 3062016: 24720162017: 3242018: 2052019: 17120192020: 1472021: 1532022: 13320222023: 1252024: 31

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0%2
Injury41.9%2,575
Malfunction56.6%3,480
Other1.4%87
Not given0.1%5

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report91.6%5,633
Voluntary report0%0
User facility report0%0
Distributor report8.4%516
Not given0%0

Grey bar: all 75,481 reports carrying product code MCM. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Device operates differently than expectedthe device behaved unexpectedly1,58925.8%8.1%
Device remains implanted93215.2%5.1%
High impedance80413.1%1.6%
Output problem65210.6%6.9%
Circuit failure5178.4%2.2%
Insufficient device problem information4387.1%6%
Device issuea problem with the device4016.5%3.1%
Malfunction3786.1%0.8%
Explanted3776.1%5.6%
Noise2163.5%0.5%
Replace2103.4%2.8%
Breakthe device broke1802.9%0.5%
No device output1492.4%5%
Leak/splashthe device leaked1322.1%0.4%
Impedance problem1292.1%7.6%
Repair1272.1%1.2%
Device inoperablethe device could not be used1031.7%0.7%
Noise, audible891.4%0.3%
Couple, failure to681.1%0.2%
Ambient noise problem641%0.1%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Failure of implant1,87430.5%
Hearing impairment1,34321.8%
Hearing loss1,08417.6%
Therapeutic response, decreased2784.5%
Painpain, site not specified2684.4%
Surgical procedure2604.2%
Deafnesshearing loss1712.8%
Falla fall1482.4%
Surgical procedure, repeated1482.4%
Therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional1222%
Head injurya head injury1131.8%
Other (for use when an appropriate patient code cannot be identified)811.3%
Undesired nerve stimulation721.2%
Discomfortdiscomfort711.2%
Headachehead pain641%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureMED-EL Combi 40+ Cochlear Implant SystemProduct code MCMAll MAUDE reports
Reports6,14975,48126,136,888
Share of that pool—8.1%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports019
Classified as injury41.9%56.2%36.2%
Classified as malfunction56.6%43.1%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer91.6%91.7%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code MCM

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Nucleus 24 Channel Cochlear Implant System12,13700.1%
Med-El Maestro Cochlear Implant System7,39100%
HiRes Ultra Implant5,3844040%
HiRes Ultra 3D Implant4,1775320.1%
HiRes 90K3,452300.1%
HiRes 90K Implant2,754890%
Nucleus CI512 Cochlear Implant with Contour Advance Electrode2,6052320%
Clarion2,56300.8%
Nucleus CI622 Cochlear Implant with Slim Straight Electrode2,3985100%
Nucleus CI632 Profile Plus with Slim Modiolar Electrode2,3534610%
HiRes 90K Advantage Implant2,226860%
Nucleus Freedom Implant with Contour Advance Electrode1,9731890.2%
CLARION Implant1,7291690%
Nucleus CI522 Cochlear Implant with Slim Straight Electrode1,5841790%
Synchrony1,2984900%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about MED-EL Combi 40+ Cochlear Implant System reports

How many FDA reports name MED-EL Combi 40+ Cochlear Implant System?

6,149 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 0 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (56.6%), injury (41.9%) and other (1.4%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

device operates differently than expected (25.8%), device remains implanted (15.2%), high impedance (13.1%), output problem (10.6%) and circuit failure (8.4%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (91.6%) and distributor reports (8.4%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that MED-EL Combi 40+ Cochlear Implant System was at fault?

No. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.