Optimal electrode diameter in relation to volume of the cochlea

Dan Gnansia (1) , Thomas Demarcy (1, 2) , Clair Vandersteen (3) , Charles Raffaelli (4) , Nicolas Guevara (3) , Hervé Delingette (2) , Nicholas Ayache (2)

1 Oticon Medical / Neurelec
2 ASCLEPIOS - Analysis and Simulation of Biomedical Images
3 Institut Universitaire de la Face et du Cou [Nice]
4 CHU - Hôpital Pasteur [Nice]

The volume of the cochlea is a key parameter for electrode-array design. Indeed, it constrains the diameter of the electrode-array for low-traumatic positioning in the scala timpani. The present report shows a model of scala timpani volume extraction from temporal bones images in order to estimate a maximum diameter of an electrode-array. Nine temporal bones were used, and passed to high-resolution computed tomography scan. Using image-processing techniques, scala timpani were extracted from images, and cross-section areas were estimated along cochlear turns. Cochlear implant electrode-array was fitted in these cross-sections. Results show that the electrode-array diameter is small enough to fit in the scala timpani, however the diameter is restricted at the apical part.

Mots clés: Cochlear implant; Electrode-array; Hearing preservation; Soft surgery; Electrode-array design; Image processing; Computed tomography; Inner ear; Anatomy

Domaines: Organes des sens; Chirurgie; Electronique; Anatomie, Histologie, Anatomopathologie [q-bio.TO]

Dan Gnansia, Thomas Demarcy, Clair Vandersteen, Charles Raffaelli, Nicolas Guevara, et al.. Optimal electrode diameter in relation to volume of the cochlea. European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, 2016, 133, Supplement 1, pp.S66-S67. ⟨10.1016/j.anorl.2016.04.013⟩. ⟨hal-01326507⟩