title: Effects of cochlear implant surgical technique on post-operative electrode impedance.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The mCI surgical technique led to reduced impedance and minimized disturbance of the microenvironment inside the cochlea. Atraumatic surgical techniques and inflammation-reduction strategies may preserve the cochlear architecture and prevent fibrotic development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the advantages of a modified minimal access technique in cochlear implantation as well as to investigate the effects of intra-operative application of inflammation reduction strategies on the intra-cochlear impedance.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients received a 31.5 mm long Med-El standard electrode array fully inserted into the cochlea and did not have surgical complications post-operation. Patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique that was used for implantation: 50 were in the modified minimal access cochlear implant (mCI) surgery group and 50 were in the traditional CI surgery group. Intra-cochlear impedance values were measured at initial activation (4 weeks post-operatively). Electrode impedance values were compared between the surgery groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Electrode impedance values were significantly lower in the mCI group than in the CI surgery group at initial activation (5.01 kOhm vs 6.10 kOhm, respectively, F = 13.761, p = 0.000). The differences between the two groups were most prominent for the electrodes located at the basal region of the cochlea.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;|b Fujian Medical University, ShengLi Clinical College, Fujian Provincial Hospital , Fuzhou , PR China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Yongyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Guojian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Beicheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, PLA General Hospital , Beijing , PR China ;
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Healon; Hearing loss; fibrous tissue; minimal access surgery; steroids