Development of HEATHER for cochlear implant stimulation using a new modeling workflow

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Cochlear implants use electrical stimulation to restore hearing.
• Understanding current flow is crucial for optimizing implant performance and safety.
• Previous models lacked the anatomical complexity to accurately represent current pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the current conduction pathways from monopolar stimulation of cochlear implants.
• To develop a novel, high-fidelity human electroanatomical head model for bioelectric simulations.

Main Methods:

• Created a detailed human electroanatomical total head reconstruction (HEATHER) using Visible Human Project data.
• Incorporated computer-aided design geometries of a cochlear implant into the model.
• Developed a new modeling workflow to generate complex anatomical meshes for finite-element analysis.

Main Results:

• Finite-element analysis showed current exiting the cochlea via the modiolus (14%), basal end (22%), and cochlear walls (64%).
• Post-cochlear current propagation was observed through the cranial cavity and scalp towards the implant body.
• The novel modeling workflow demonstrated robustness and flexibility with user-controlled mesh generation.

Conclusions:

• The HEATHER model provides accurate insights into cochlear implant current distribution.
• The developed workflow is adaptable for various bioelectric simulations beyond cochlear implants.
• This approach facilitates the creation of realistic anatomical models for diverse neurostimulation applications.