Comparison of half-band and full-band electrodes for intracochlear electrical stimulation.
It was hypothesized that intracochlear stimulating electrodes oriented toward the modiolus would require a lower stimulus current to elicit a threshold neural response than longitudinal band electrodes. Electrically evoked auditory brain stem responses (EABRs) and electrode impedances were recorded with full-band and oriented half-band scala tympani electrodes in anesthetized, deafened cats. To elicit a threshold EABR, the stimulus current required for stimulation through half-band electrodes oriented toward the modiolus was not significantly different from the current required for stimulation through full-band electrodes. The impedances of full-band electrodes were significantly lower than those of half-band electrodes. Considering the significantly higher impedance and current density of half-band electrodes in comparison to full-band electrodes, as well as the critical orientation of half-band electrodes during implantation, we believe that full-band electrodes have advantages over half-band electrodes for scala tympani implantation.
Xu
S A
SA
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Melbourne, Australia.
McAnally
K I
KI
Xu
J
J
Clark
G M
GM
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002415:Cats; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004867:Equipment Design; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D012533:Scala Tympani / Q000502:physiology*