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Depth of Cochlear Implant Array Within the Cochlea and Performance Outcome
Ohad Hilly1, Leah Smith2, Euna Hwang2
1Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto. ON, Canada Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel ohadhilly@yahoo.com.
The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology
|July 23, 2016
Summary
Cochlear implant array depth impacts hearing outcomes. Deeper insertion (≥360°) significantly improves 1-year Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) scores compared to shallower insertion (<360°).
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neurosurgery
- Audiology
Background:
- Cochlear implantation is a vital treatment for severe to profound hearing loss.
- Optimizing electrode array placement within the cochlea is crucial for maximizing auditory performance.
- The precise impact of cochlear implant array insertion depth on long-term outcomes requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between cochlear implant array insertion depth and hearing performance.
- To evaluate if array depth influences outcomes 1 year after cochlear implantation surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 120 patients receiving Advanced Bionics HiFocus 1J cochlear implants.
- Cochlear insertion depth measured in degrees from plain-radiographs.
- Correlation analysis between insertion depth and 1-year post-activation Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) scores.
Main Results:
- Electrode insertion depth varied widely (180°–720°), with corresponding HINT scores (0%–100%).
- Significantly better 1-year HINT scores were observed with insertion depths ≥360° (81%) versus <360° (61%, P = .048).
- Performance with 13–15 electrode contacts was comparable to full insertion (16 contacts); 12 contacts yielded poorer results.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implant array insertion depth less than 360° is linked to diminished 1-year HINT scores.
- Deeper insertions (≥360°) are associated with improved speech-in-noise performance.
- Partial insertion with 13 or more active contacts achieves results similar to full insertion.
