Technical report: modification of a cochlear implant electrode for drug delivery to the inner ear.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possibility of modifying a cochlear implant electrode for the purpose of drug delivery to the cochlea.


BACKGROUND
Animal experiments suggest that local therapy of the inner ear could be a promising new approach to the interventional treatment of inner ear disease, and that pharmacologic intervention could possibly enhance cochlear implant performance. One of the key aspects is the deployment of a means of drug delivery to the human inner ear.


METHODS
The tip of the Contour electrode array was cut to open the lumen of the array, and a connecting piece was developed to connect the electrode to a pump. The feasibility of using the array for drug delivery was tested using both an Alzet mini-osmotic pump and a mechanical pump. The connection was tested for its stability in terms of leakage and resistance to tractive forces. The system was also applied to temporal bones to evaluate its applicability to the human cochlea.


RESULTS
The modified Contour electrode is easy to handle in temporal bones and can be used to simulate drug delivery to the inner ear. The connection to the pump was sealed for all tested pump rates and resisted tractive forces up to 50 N.


CONCLUSIONS
The described modified electrode could provide a safe and easy-to-handle means of combining electrical stimulation with the beneficial effects of a local drug therapy applied to the inner ear.
Paasche
G
G
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Gibson
P
P
Averbeck
T
T
Becker
H
H
Lenarz
T
T
Stöver
T
T
D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D013701:Temporal Bone