gms | German Medical Science

GMS Current Posters in Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNOKHC)

ISSN 1865-1038

Evolution of cochlear implant electrode array design and its interaction with coding of auditory information

Poster

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  • corresponding author Katya Assenova - Tsatitsa Joanna University Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Stefan Stoyanov - Ministry of Interior - Medical Institute, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Todor Karchev - Tsaritsa Joanna University Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria

GMS Curr Posters Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;2:Doc159

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/journals/cpo/2006-2/cpo000263.shtml

Published: April 24, 2006

© 2006 Assenova et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Abstract

Evolution in cochlear electrode design of different manufacturers is discussed. The differences in electrode number, location and stimulation patterns are outlined. The interactions between stimulation mode and speech coding strategies are summarized. Literature data for the outcomes using several coding strategies are compared. Advantages and disadvantages are clarified. Some experimental electrodes are reviewed.

Based on the clinical experience with different types of cochlear electrodes the theoretical design of a modiolar electrode is proposed. As its length can be about 7 mm a special design of the electrode array is required. Changes of the shape and configuration of electrode contacts are also necessary.

In spite of the continuous progression in cochlear implant technology there is still a broad field for investigation in the direction towards the achievement of a more physiological hearing.