gms | German Medical Science

80th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

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

20.05. - 24.05.2009, Rostock

Control of electrode arrays after Cochlea Implantation using Digital Volume Tomography (DVT)

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author Martin Bremke - Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, UKGM, Standort Marburg, Marburg, Germany
  • Barbara Lips - Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, UKGM, Standort Marburg, Marburg, Germany
  • Reiner M. Weiß - Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, UKGM, Standort Marburg, Marburg, Germany
  • Siegfried Bien - Klinik für Neuroradiolgie, UKGM, Standort Marburg, Marburg, Germany
  • Jochen A. Werner - Klinik für HNO-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie, UKGM, Standort Marburg, Marburg, Germany

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. 80th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Rostock, 20.-24.05.2009. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2009. Doc09hno007

doi: 10.3205/09hno007, urn:nbn:de:0183-09hno0077

Published: July 22, 2009

© 2009 Bremke et al.
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Outline

Text

Background: Digital Volume Tomography (DVT) is an advancement of panoramic tomography used in dentistry. It is based on the principles of rotational tomography and enables high resolution of osseus structures. It was the aim of the study to evaluate the position of the electrode array after cochlea implantation.

Patients and methods: Postoperative control was performed in 31 patients using DVT (F17, Morita, Kyoto, Japan). By the use of special algorhythms for reconstruction and processing it was possible to evaluate the electrode arrays concerning to their position either in the scala tympani or in the scala vestibuli. Other options were switches from one scala to the other. For this purpose the cochlea was uncurled using a panoramic tool. Additionally orthogonal cross sections to the longitudinal axis of the cochlea were performed.

Results: Via these applications it was possible to localise the intracochlear position of the electrode arrays in 25 patients precisely. In 13 patients the electrode could be detected in the scala tympani, in 7 patients in the scala vestibuli. In 5 patients a switch from scala tympani to scala vestibuli occurred. In another 6 patients an exact intracochleäre localisation was impossible because of motion artefacts.

Summary: Digital Volume Tomography is a suitable diagnostic modality for the evaluation of the cochlear without artefacts caused by foreign bodies after implantation of an electrode array. By the use of special reconstruction algorhythms it is possible to analyse the intracochlear position of these electrodes. These additional investigations do not lead to additive radiation exposure, but serve as a valuable tool to advance surgical approaches to the cochlea.