title: Cochlear Nerve Stimulation in the Internal Auditory Canal in Ossified Cochlea: A Case Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the first reported case of intraneural direct cochlear nerve stimulation in a human being.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 23-year-old patient with bilateral progressive hearing loss associated with bilateral complete semicircular canal aplasia and ossified cochleas underwent cochlear implantation. During surgery, a patent cochlear lumen could not be found, and the array was positioned in the internal auditory canal adjacent to the cochlear nerve. Against our expectations, an assiduous rehabilitation and frequent fitting adjustments have led to a word recognition score, in open set speech with lip reading, of 18/25 and acceptable frequency discrimination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We are aware that this was an anomalous use of the cochlear implant, and it is not our aim to suggest a new indication for cochlear array positioning. However, this case shows that auditory perception, to some degree, can be obtained with intraneural direct cochlear nerve stimulation.
authors: Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Canale
authors: Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Torino, Turin, Italy federico.dagna@gmail.com.
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Dagna
authors: Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors: Michelangelo
authors: M
authors: Lacilla
authors: Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Montuschi
authors: Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors: Rosalba
authors: R
authors: Di Rosa
authors: Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Albera
mesh_terms: D003051:Cochlea / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D015834:Cochlear Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003056:Cochlear Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic; D011184:Postoperative Period; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000379:methods*; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000601:surgery; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cochlear implant; cochlear nerve; otology