School of Medicine and Health Sciences Poster Presentations

Cochlear Implant Symmetry via Template

Poster Number

169

Document Type

Poster

Status

Medical Student

Abstract Category

Clinical Specialties

Keywords

Cochlear implant, hearing loss, symmetry, template

Publication Date

Spring 2018

Abstract

In cases of severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), cochlear implantation (CI) restores the ability to process auditory signals and allows for verbal language acquisition. Along with advances in technology, modern CIs have a slimmer physical profile that allows for fixation using a direct subperiosteal pocket technique that obviates the need for drilling a bone well in the parieto-occipital cortex. With the overall trend in pediatric bilateral CI favoring the less invasive direct subperiosteal technique, we propose a reliable method using materials available in any operating room to achieve optimal, symmetric placement in real time. This "mirror template", developed by the Senior Author (BKR), employs a simple folding and tracing to allow precise, yet timely pocket placement on the right and left sides of the temporal bone. Our method exploits the thinner profile of the most recent receiver-stimulator (R/S) models, and may be safely and reliably performed in our youngest patients, including those under 12 months of age. Clinicians have a duty to optimize the aesthetic aspects of prosthetic devices; regarding cochlear implants, aesthetic considerations largely focus on R/S placement. Psychological analysis of the human perception of beauty shows that symmetry has a significant and independent input into the perception of beauty for both males and females. We reviewed 11 bilateral cochlear implantation cases performed by the Senior Author using the direct subperiosteal pocket technique with our proposed template. Excellent symmetry has been seen in all cases following the implementation of the "mirror template,” and has translated to high patient and family satisfaction regarding aesthetics and symmetry.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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Cochlear Implant Symmetry via Template

In cases of severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), cochlear implantation (CI) restores the ability to process auditory signals and allows for verbal language acquisition. Along with advances in technology, modern CIs have a slimmer physical profile that allows for fixation using a direct subperiosteal pocket technique that obviates the need for drilling a bone well in the parieto-occipital cortex. With the overall trend in pediatric bilateral CI favoring the less invasive direct subperiosteal technique, we propose a reliable method using materials available in any operating room to achieve optimal, symmetric placement in real time. This "mirror template", developed by the Senior Author (BKR), employs a simple folding and tracing to allow precise, yet timely pocket placement on the right and left sides of the temporal bone. Our method exploits the thinner profile of the most recent receiver-stimulator (R/S) models, and may be safely and reliably performed in our youngest patients, including those under 12 months of age. Clinicians have a duty to optimize the aesthetic aspects of prosthetic devices; regarding cochlear implants, aesthetic considerations largely focus on R/S placement. Psychological analysis of the human perception of beauty shows that symmetry has a significant and independent input into the perception of beauty for both males and females. We reviewed 11 bilateral cochlear implantation cases performed by the Senior Author using the direct subperiosteal pocket technique with our proposed template. Excellent symmetry has been seen in all cases following the implementation of the "mirror template,” and has translated to high patient and family satisfaction regarding aesthetics and symmetry.