Quality Control after Cochlear Implant Surgery by Means of Rotational Tomography

TLDR

Preoperative CT scans of the patients’ cochleae showed no evidence of obliteration, ossification, or malformation. The study aimed to assess intracochlear electrode positions using rotational tomography in adult cochlear implant recipients. In a retrospective analysis at a tertiary referral center, 18 adults (22 ears) with Nucleus straight or Contour electrodes underwent rotational tomography to evaluate electrode placement in the scala tympani and vestibuli, with intraoperative reports used for comparison. Results revealed a higher incidence of intracochlear trauma and scala vestibuli dislocations with the Contour array, indicating a greater rate of scala vestibuli insertions compared to the Nucleus straight array.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the intracochlear electrode position in using rotational tomography in adult cochlear implant patients. Study Design: Retrospective. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Eighteen adult patients being implanted either with a Nucleus straight electrode array or a Contour electrode with a total of 22 implanted ears. Preoperative computed tomography had been without evidence for obliteration, ossification, or malformation of the cochlea. Intervention: Rotational tomography. Main Outcome Measures: The intracochlear electrode position was evaluated with regard to scala tympani, scala vestibuli, and a dislocation from one scala to the other. The intraoperative procedure was compared with the electrode position by analyzing the operating reports. Results: Preliminary results indicate, respectively, that there is a higher incidence of intracochlear trauma in using the Contour electrode array than expected with a more frequent dislocation of electrode arrays from scala tympani to scala vestibuli and that there is a higher rate of scala vestibuli insertions. Conclusions: The impact of these findings may influence further developments of electrode arrays as well as surgical techniques for implantation.