Evaluation of a new slim lateral wall electrode for cochlear implantation: an imaging study in human temporal bones

To evaluate the insertion characteristics and trauma of a new slim lateral wall electrode (SlimJ) in human temporal bones (TB).

Pre- and postoperative assessment was performed using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and image fusion in 11 human TB. The position of the array in each cochlea was analyzed and described using a vertical scaling factor, calculated by dividing the distance of the scala tympani floor to the centre of the electrode by the duct height. Insertion trauma was scaled according to the presumed localization of the basilar membrane, which was modeled from histologic sections of 20 TBs. The insertion trauma was described by the adaptation of the Eshragi trauma grading.

A full electrode insertion, via the round window, was achieved in all TBs. Surgical handling was good, with a favorable compromise between high flexibility but sufficient stiffness to facilitate smooth insertions. The median angular insertion depth was 368° (range 330°-430°). Scala tympani placement was achieved in ten out of eleven TBs; in one TB a scala translocation was observed, occurring at approximately 180°.

The SlimJ showed atraumatic insertion characteristics. The CBCT fusion technique provides an accurate and reliable assessment of the electrode position and allows for grading insertion trauma without histology. The SlimJ true potential for structure and hearing preservation needs to be further assessed in vivo.