Hearing preservation after cochlear implantation using deeply inserted flex atraumatic electrode arrays.
The aim of this study was to investigate hearing preservation in adults receiving cochlear implants with Flex arrays. Fifteen adults (19 ears) implanted with Flex EAS® (n = 4) or Flex Soft® (n = 15; MedEL, Innsbruck, Austria) were included in this retrospective study. The mean array insertion length was 25 ± 0.9 mm (n = 19), and the mean cochlear coverage was 435 ± 14.5° (n = 19), with no difference between EAS and Soft arrays. Residual low-frequency hearing was preserved in all implanted ears but deteriorated [pure-tone average (125-1000 Hz) 55.1 ± 2.90 dB before vs. 81.0 ± 3.02 dB after surgery (n = 19, p < 0.01)]. Both Flex arrays allow deep insertion with reproducible hearing preservation.
Otolaryngology Department, Beaujon Hospital, APHP, Clichy, France.
Sharon
S
Tamir
Evelyne
E
Ferrary
Stéphanie
S
Borel
Olivier
O
Sterkers
Alexis
A
Bozorg Grayeli
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003051:Cochlea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013060:Speech; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed