Robotic assistance during cochlear implantation: the rationale for consistent, controlled speed of electrode array insertion

• DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1335994
• Publication Date: 2024-01-22T04:21:06Z
• Authors: Rustin G. Kashani; Allan Henslee; Rick F. Nelson; Marlan R. Hansen
• Keywords: Electrode array

Cochlear implants (CI) have revolutionized the treatment of patients with severe to profound sensory hearing loss by providing a method bypassing normal directly stimulate auditory nerve. A further advance in field has been introduction “hearing preservation” surgery, whereby CI electrode array (EA) is carefully inserted spare damage delicate anatomy and function cochlea. Preserving residual inner ear allows receive maximal benefit from combine electric stimulation acoustic hearing, offering improved postoperative speech, quality life outcomes. However, under current paradigm implant where EAs are hand, cochlea cannot be reliably spared damage. Robotics-assisted EA insertion an emerging technology that may overcome fundamental human kinetic limitations prevent consistency achieving steady slow insertion. This review begins describing relationship between speed generation intracochlear forces pressures. The various mechanisms which these can lead worsened outcomes discussed. constraints manual technique compared robotics-assisted methods, followed overview future state